Breaking Barriers
by kath0410
Summary: Erza Scarlet is the Student Council President of Fairy High, and one day, a guy named Zane decides to study there. He acts cold, distant, and angry towards everyone who tries to get close to him. What is the reason for his attitude? And will she be able to break through the barriers he put around himself, and change him back to the way he was? ErzaxOC
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello, dear readers! This is my second ErzaxOC story, my first one being entitled "Moving On From His Death". If you haven't read it, feel free to do so. This one is set in an AU (Alternate Universe) and will have more drama compared to my first story. I hope you guys enjoy this story, and please leave a review! :D**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does.**

* * *

Erza Scarlet was known in Fairy High as the strong, scary, and strict, but beautiful Student Council President. She hadn't always been like that, though. She used to be a sweet, caring, and loving girl - until her parents died and with what happened with her ex-boyfriend, Jellal Fernandes. Because of that, she closed off her heart and vowed to never trust any man completely, thus resulting in her cold demeanor.

She had beautiful scarlet hair that flowed down past her waist and half bangs that stopped by her brown eyes. As usual, she wore the females' uniform composed of a white long-sleeved blouse, gray skirt that went a few inches above her knees, and black stockings and shoes, properly. She walked along the halls of Fairy High, and as she walked, the other students stopped whatever they were doing as they saw her while some cowered in fear, even though they knew that they did nothing wrong. She pretended not to notice this and continued walking towards her classroom with her usual stoic expression. She arrived in front of the classroom and opened the door.

She looked around the room and saw her old classmates. "Good morning Erza!" A sweet voice called out. Erza turned around and saw Mira, one of her friends. Mira had a sweet, innocent-looking face and a friendly personality. She had long, white hair with her bangs tied up in an upward ponytail and dark blue eyes. Erza nodded, and said simply, "Good morning to you, too, Mira." The white-haired student giggled. She was already used to Erza's stiff demeanor.

A brunette student approached them and sat beside Mira. Her name was Cana and she had slightly curly brown hair that reached down to the middle of her back. Her white blouse was unbuttoned at the top, slightly revealing her cleavage. "What's up, you two?" The brunette said with a grin. "Cana, button up your blouse," Erza said sternly. "Come on, Erza. Lighten up," the brunette said. Erza just sighed and turned away, not in the mood to argue with the brunette any further.

"Okay, class. Settle down," a voice said from the classroom's door. The students sat down in their respective seats and quieted down as a tall, muscular man with slicked back dark orange hair entered the room. He wore a white polo with black slacks, black leather shoes, and strangely, a dark tattered cape. The man introduced himself, "My name is Gildarts Clive, but you can call me sir Gildarts and I will be your teacher for History." The students stared curiously at him, wondering why on earth he was wearing a cape. Gildarts seemed oblivious to his students' stares and continued speaking. "Actually, you will be having a new classmate as of today. He will come in shortly to introduce himself." Erza raised her eyebrows. Being the student council president, she felt slightly stunned that she had never heard of a newcomer in their school, until this very moment, that is.

"You can come in now," Gildarts spoke to someone who seemed to be outside their classroom. The door opened and a guy the same age as them walked in. He was slightly taller than Erza with a slightly muscular build and he wore the guys' uniform consisting of a white polo, blue necktie, black slacks and black leather shoes. He had short, spiky, jet-black hair with shades of blue and had pitch black eyes that looked serious. He looked handsome, she admitted. Immediately, she heard the girls whisper among each other.

"Wow, he sure is hot."

"I wonder if he has a girlfriend?"

"Why did he decide to transfer here?"

The girls' whispers continued and Gildarts decided to make them quiet down. "Girls, please quiet down." The whispers immediately subsided and Gildarts turned once again to the black-haired boy. "Please, introduce yourself." The boy nodded and started speaking. "My name is Zane Arazaki, and as you know now, I am a transfer student here at Fairy High. I just officially enrolled late yesterday afternoon." He decided that that was enough. He didn't want to reveal any more about himself, for reasons that he didn't want anyone getting close to him. He decided that he would live through this on his own. He didn't want anyone to get hurt, or more specifically, _dying_ again because of him.

Gildarts nodded and said, "Thank you for your introduction, Zane. You may sit over there." The orange-haired man pointed to an empty seat beside Erza. Zane walked over to the student council president and took his seat. "Now, class. I hope that you befriend Zane and get along with him well." The whole class: most especially the girls, nodded enthusiastically. Erza sneaked a quick glance at the guy sitting beside her, and he looked serious. She knew that she just met him, but she couldn't help but want to know more about him. But something in her gut told her she was better off not getting too close to him. She shook her head and forced the thoughts away from her mind.

The morning passed by a little slowly. Finally, the bell rang, signaling that it was time for lunch. Zane grabbed his things and left quickly, that even his scarlet-haired seatmate didn't notice that he had already left. Erza turned around and noticed that her seatmate was already gone. She frowned. _I wonder where he went off to in such a hurry? _She thought. Then, she heard a voice call out to her. "Erza~! We're heading to the cafeteria now." Mira said as she waved at the student council president with Cana standing beside her. Erza packed up her things and joined her.

As they walked towards the cafeteria, Mira asked Erza, "So, what do you think about Zane?" Erza rubbed her chin thoughtfully and said, "I don't really know yet, but I think he's going to be a good student since he pays full attention during classes and he doesn't seem to be the type to break rules." Mira giggled at the president's insightful answer, and Cana blurted out, "I think he's pretty hot. He seems to be the quiet, mysterious type." Mira pouted and said, "Really, Cana? Are guys all you ever think about?"

Erza thought about the brunette's answer; he did seem to be quiet, as though he didn't quite like talking about himself. It was evident from the way he introduced himself. He just said his name and explained how he enrolled. This made the scarlet-haired student wonder all the more about him. _I wonder if there's anything he's hiding that he doesn't want anyone to know. _She thought with a frown.

They arrived at the cafeteria and found five of their friends waiting for them. There was a blonde female, a light blue-haired female, a dark-blue haired female; a raven-haired male and a pink-haired male. The three girls headed towards them and took their seats.

The blonde student asked, "How was your morning?"

Erza answered, "It was okay."

"We have a new classmate, actually," Mira added.

Then Cana winked, "And he was pretty hot, too, Lucy."

The blonde student, now identified as Lucy, raised her eyebrows and said, "Really?"

The pink-haired student complained, "Oy, Lucy! What are you all getting interested for? I'm your boyfriend, aren't I?"

Lucy blushed and said, "Of course, Natsu. You're so silly. Is there anything wrong about being curious about their new classmate?"

Natsu sighed and said, "Fine."

Lucy just shook her head and smiled at her boyfriend's childish act. She pecked him lightly on the lips and said, "There, is that better?"

The pinkette grinned toothily and exclaimed, "Hell yeah!" Lucy giggled. It was so easy to make her boyfriend happy again.

"Juvia doesn't care about any other new male student. Gray-sama is the only one Juvia loves!" The light blue-haired girl, now known as Juvia exclaimed, which caused the raven-haired mage sitting beside her known as Gray, to blush. The dark blue-haired student sitting with them giggled at the sight. "You guys are so cute." Mira smiled and said, "I know. Right, Wendy?" The dark blue-haired student now identified as Wendy nodded and smiled. "So, what's your new classmate's name?" Lucy asked. Erza answered, "His name is Zane Arazaki." Gray followed up with a question of his own. "Where's he?" Erza swept her eyes around the cafeteria, looking for the spiky-haired student, but couldn't find him anywhere. "It looks like he isn't here," she pointed out. "Huh. I wonder where he went," Natsu commented. Erza frowned, wondering where indeed in the world he ran off.

* * *

Zane lay down on the ground at the roof, looking at the sky. He went off as quickly as possible when the bell rang, not wanting to hang out with anyone. He wasn't always like this, though. He used to be friendly, and made lots of close friends. But ever since that incident, he completely shut himself off from everyone. He sighed, and continued staring up at the sky. When he sat down at the classroom, he noticed his scarlet-haired seatmate cast a quick glance at him, but he ignored it. There was a look of curiosity in her eyes, as though she wanted to know more about him. He groaned, and thought, _I have to stay away from her. I don't want anyone getting involved with me any longer. _He looked at his phone, and saw that he had one unread message. It was from Sarah, one of his old friends. He opened the message and read it. They sent messages back and forth, and their conversation went like this:

"_Hey! How's school so far?"_

"_Fine, I guess." _

"_Have you made any friends yet?" _

"_Nah, not really."_

"_Why?"_

"_You know the reason, Sarah."_

"_Come on, Zane. You can't just keep shutting yourself out from everyone forever. What happened to Clair was just an accident; none of it is your fault."_

"_No, Sarah. It's because of me that she died. I don't want anyone getting hurt or dying again because of me."_

"_And so you're going to shut yourself off from the world forever? Everyone here in the gang is worried about you since you left. You've changed a lot since that incident."_

"_And that's exactly why I left, why I changed. It's better for me to push everyone away because I would end up hurting them more if they get too attached to me."_

"_Seriously, Zane. You're ending up hurting us more with the way you are right now. Just let it go. You can't be happy if you keep doing this."_

"_Just mind your own business, Sarah. I'm fine this way."_

"_Fine. But the gang's always gonna be here for you, no matter what you think."_

He didn't reply at her last message. Deep down, he wondered if she was right. _Nah, it's better off this way. _He thought, shaking his head. He checked his watch. _12:50 PM, _it said. "Time to go." He muttered to himself and headed back to his classroom.

He found that the scarlet-haired student was already sitting in her place. He quietly took his seat beside her and looked straight ahead. "Where were you during lunch?" Someone asked him. He turned and saw that it was his seatmate. "None of your business," he muttered. She raised her eyebrows, and said, "Is it wrong of me to ask where you were?" He glared at her and said coolly, "I don't see why you care in the first place. Who the hell are you anyway?" She was surprised at his cold answer, but didn't show it. She returned the glare and answered coolly, "I'm Erza Scarlet, student council president of this school. It would be better if you try acting friendly." He rolled his eyes, and answered a little angrily, "How I act is none of your business. Now, I would appreciate it if you didn't talk to me again. I don't care if you're the president or whatever position you have in this school." She felt completely stunned at his words. It was the first time someone actually dared to stand up to her. "Just don't try any funny business while I'm around," she retorted. "Don't worry, I'm not planning anything funny. Just as long as you shut up and mind your own business," he said with a cold voice. "Fine, then," she said, feeling irritated. "I won't talk to you again." He nodded curtly and turned away from her.

She didn't actually mean those words, but she didn't get _why _she even bothered to care about his whereabouts in the first place. _Damn men. _She fumed.

* * *

Their afternoon classes were done and it was finally time to go home. Zane packed up his stuff and left quickly. Mira and Cana walked towards Erza. "Hey, Erza. We're heading to the café. Want to come with us?" Cana asked. Erza nodded, staying silent. A slice of strawberry cake should help with her bad mood. They met up with the rest of their friends and headed to the café. They took their seats and Erza continued staying silent. She kept on thinking about her heated exchange with Zane, and it worsened her mood. _What the hell is up with that guy? Who does he think he is, standing up to me like that?! _She thought angrily. "Erza…? Hello, Erza?" She heard a voice say and snapped out of her thoughts. "Huh, what is it Lucy?" Lucy said, "What's your order?" Erza answered, "I'll have the usual." Lucy nodded and relayed the order to the waiter.

Wendy noticed that the student council president was acting strange and spacing out. "Is something wrong, Erza-san?" Erza shook her head and lied. "No, it's nothing." Mira sighed and pointed out, "Was it your argument with Zane a while ago?" Erza looked at the white-haired student with shock, and mumbled, "You heard that?" Mira smiled and said, "No, not really. But I noticed the tension between you two." Erza sighed, thinking she had no choice but to tell her friends about her heated conversation with the spiky-haired student. "Fine, I'll tell you what we talked about." She relayed the conversation to her friends, and when she finished, her friends looked at her in shock.

"Someone just…" Wendy said as she sweat dropped.

"Stood up…" Gray continued with shock in his voice.

"To ERZA?!" Natsu yelled in shock, finishing the two students' sentence.

"And he's a new student, you say?!" Lucy shrieked.

Cana shook her head and muttered, "Damn, it's a miracle that guy's still alive. But, it looks like he's a fine piece of work, that one."

Juvia sighed. "He has guts, Juvia gives him that."

They talked about the new student as they waited for their orders. When their food arrived, Erza began eating her cake, feeling her mood get better. _Mmm, this is delicious. _She thought happily. She looked out the window and saw a flash of spiky black hair. She looked harder, and saw that it was Zane. He was wearing a black hoodie jacket, dark blue pants, and black sneakers. He looked like he was about to enter the café, but suddenly turned away and began walking in the opposite direction. She looked puzzled and wondered, _I wonder if it was because he saw me. _She frowned and said, "Whatever. I shouldn't care about what he does; it has nothing to do with me anyway," and continued eating her cake.

* * *

Zane decided to go to his favorite café to cool his head off after classes. But, as he was about to enter, he saw the last person he wanted to ever see again, Erza Scarlet. He paused, thinking that her last name sounded familiar. _Could she be the daughter of James and Katherine Scarlet? Nah, it couldn't be. They hadn't mentioned anything about having a daughter when they were still alive. It might all be just a big coincidence. _He thought. Bringing himself back to reality, he sighed in irritation and stormed off. _It looks like I won't be able to enjoy my afternoon. What the hell is up with that woman, anyway? _He thought angrily. He continued walking and subconsciously, he ended up in front of his old gang's hideout. He opened the door and walked inside. He was immediately greeted by friendly voices. "Zane! It's been a while!" A pink-haired girl exclaimed happily and walked over to him. He nodded to signify that he acknowledged the girl's presence. "Sarah." The pink-haired girl was known as Sarah.

She was slightly shorter than Zane and had pink hair that flowed a little past her shoulder. She wore a dark red t-shirt with a skull design in the middle, a pair of black shorts and sandals. She had hazel brown eyes and pretty features for her face. She smiled sweetly and asked, "How was your day?" A flash of irritation spread across Zane's face and answered curtly, "I had a pretty bad day." She frowned and asked, "What's wrong?" He sighed and said with irritation, "It's because of that damn student council president." Sarah raised her eyebrows, and urged the black-haired guy to continue, and so he did.

After he finished, Sarah pouted and said, "Erza has a point, you know. You _could _try to be a little more friendly." He frowned angrily and said, "I don't care whatever the hell she thinks, and I don't care about your opinion either." Sarah was also getting a little angry at this point, and she began yelling, "Damn, what the hell is wrong with you, Zane?! Why the hell do you keep pushing everyone away?! Why do you keep pushing _me _away?! All we want is to help you, but you won't let anyone do it! We told you over and over again that Clair's death isn't your fault, but you keep blaming yourself and act cold and indifferent towards everyone!"

Zane backed away, slightly in shock, and everyone in the building stopped talking, and looked at the argument between the two. She jabbed his chest forcefully, and continued yelling. "Dammit, Zane! I'm your best friend! Everyone here in the gang is concerned about you! Why won't you change back to the way you were before?!" Zane was taken aback at her outburst. He didn't know what to say. But, he decided that he would remain the way he was now. "I'm sorry, Sarah. But it's better for all of us if I stay this way," he said a little coldly and left the building.

* * *

**A/N: Zane's a bit of a jerk, isn't he? The complete opposite of Zeke from my other story. I just kinda wanted him to act like a jerk to try something new. Ehehe. And, since Erza's parents are unnamed in both the Manga and Anime, I decided to name them. So, yeah. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and see you in the next! :D**

**SPOILER ALERT: DO NOT READ THIS PART IF YOU DO NOT READ THE MANGA AND DO NOT WANT TO BE SPOILED, OR IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE LATEST CHAPTER YET.**

**Gray's back, but, Ultear... :( I swear, I cried while reading the Manga. Ultear had a noble sacrifice, if only she knew that that one minute actually saved everyone. *sighs* I salute you, Ultear!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Ta-daa! Here's Chapter 2! I had a bit of a great day today, since I did pretty well for my first quiz in one of my subjects. Ehehe. But things are still pretty stressful though. Oh well. Please feel free to leave a review!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does.**

* * *

As Zane left the building, he heard Sarah sob and whisper in a pained voice, "Why, Zane? Why are you doing this to everyone who cares about you?" He pretended that he didn't hear her; he had already made up his mind. He was going to hurt everyone more by coming back to the gang. It was better this way. "Dammit! It's all that student council president's fault!" He said angrily and punched the wall. "And why the hell did Sarah even agree with her in the first place?! They don't even know each other!" He stomped off, not wanting to look behind him. He went through a dark alley, and heard footsteps heading towards him. He saw three men, with demon-shaped marks on their arms. One had dark green hair, another had yellow hair, and the last one had silver hair. "Dammit, the Demon Gang. Just my luck," Zane muttered under his breath.

The men saw him and smirked upon recognizing who he was. "Look here, it's Zane Arizaki, one of the strongest members of the Lightnings." Zane narrowed his eyes and said, "That's _former _member, to you." The man with dark green hair spit on the ground and said, "That still doesn't change the fact that you gave hell to our gang before." The former gang member raised his eyebrows, and said as a matter-of-factly, "That's because you've been hurting innocent people. We may be a gang, but we don't hurt innocent people; we protect them." The silver-haired man snorted. "And you think that that makes you an agent of justice? Gangs aren't about 'protecting' people. Gangs are about making them suffer." Zane was now feeling irritated. "Listen, I don't want to fight you. I'm sick and tired of fighting, and that's why I left my gang. So, why don't you step out of the way?" The yellow-haired man laughed. "Ooh, are you feeling scared? Maybe it's because you don't have your little _girlfriend _with you, huh?"

That was it. That was all that was needed to make Zane snap in anger. "What the hell did you say?" Zane said threateningly. "Like I said, you're feeling scared without your girlfriend beside you. It's too bad she-" The yellow-haired man was cut off by a punch in his stomach. Zane pulled him up by his collar and glared at him. There was nothing but pure hatred in his eyes. "Don't you dare speak about her like that, if you want to live," Zane hissed. The man just laughed tauntingly. "And what are you going to do about it? There are three of us here, and you're all alone. We're going to leave you dead." Zeke narrowed his eyes. "We'll just see about that." The man smirked and shouted, "Get him, boys!"

The two other men ran towards the black-haired boy and jumped into the air, poised to punch. Zane let go of the yellow-haired man and grabbed the fists of the two other men. He threw them towards a wall and moved towards the green-haired man. He lifted the man up into the air and punched him repeatedly. The silver-haired man stalked silently towards Zane and attempted to throw a punch. Unfortunately for the man, Zane sensed the movement and moved his head sideward, resulting in the man to punch his fellow gang member. The green-haired man fell to the ground, unconscious and bleeding from his head.

Zane turned towards the silver-haired man and kicked the man hard in the stomach. The man coughed up blood. The yellow-haired man stood behind Zane and threw a punch. Once again, Zane caught his fist and kneed the man's stomach, then punched the man's face hard. He turned back his attention towards the silver-haired man and began kicking and kneeing the man's stomach repeatedly. The man continued to cough up blood and whispered painfully, "Damn…you." Zane smirked and said tauntingly, "That the best you could do? I thought you were going to kill me?" Then he kicked the man's face and the man fell unconscious. "You guys better be grateful that members of our gang don't kill, otherwise, you'd be dead by now," Zeke said coldly and left the three men unconscious and bleeding. _Damn, and after I said I wouldn't fight anymore after leaving the gang. Tch, looks like I can't even live peacefully after leaving. _He thought. He looked up at the sky and noticed that it was already getting dark. _I'll just go straight home and rest early. _He trudged back to his house, changed into a white t-shirt and black shorts, and went to sleep.

* * *

Erza, along with Mira and the rest of her friends had finished eating at the café and decided to go home, as it was already getting dark. They said their farewells and went their separate ways. She arrived in front of her house and unlocked the door. "I'm home," she announced. Of course, there was no answer. She sighed. Both her parents were dead, after all. They used to be part of a gang called the Lightnings, and they died in the middle of a gang war. She remembered the conversation she had with her parents about their gang back when she was seven years old.

_FLASHBACK_

_Erza heard someone knock on the door and she said, "Coming~!" She opened the door and found her parents standing outside. _

"_Mommy! Daddy! You're home!" She exclaimed happily and ran towards them. Her father caught her in his arms and spun her around. _

"_Hello, Erza! We missed you!" He said as he laughed happily._

_Erza giggled. "I missed you, too, mommy and daddy!" _

_Her father put her down and her mother knelt down in front of Erza and hugged her tight. "How is our baby girl doing?" _

_Erza smiled widely, "I've been a good girl, mommy!"_

"_That's a good girl!" Her mother said and laughed._

"_Daddy, tell me about your gang!" Erza said as she tugged on her father's shirt._

"_Hahaha, okay, Erza!" He said and sat on a chair, motioning for his daughter to sit on his lap. The little girl sat on his lap and he began telling his daughter about their gang._

"_Our gang is called the Lightnings, and we're what you would say a gang filled with good guys. Other gangs are the bad guys, and they hurt innocent people. But we're not one of them, and it's our job to beat the bad gangs. Our gang is filled with cheerful people and we're like family to each other."_

_Erza's eyes shined brightly. "That's so cool, daddy! I'm proud to be the daughter of you and mommy!"_

_The little girl's mother and father laughed, and they hugged their daughter tight._

_FLASHBACK END_

She smiled sadly at the memories. They died when she was fifteen. She hadn't been told the details of their death; all she knew was that they died in the middle of a gang war. Because of that, she closed off her heart and became the strict student council president everyone knew and she had become worse when she knew that her ex-boyfriend had cheated on her. She sighed, and decided to put the depressing thoughts out of her head. She changed into her pajamas, went into bed, and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

It was 6:30 AM and Zane's alarm clock rang. He sat up and shut his alarm; then he went to the kitchen and fixed breakfast for himself. After eating, he washed the dishes and took a shower, changed into his uniform, and left for school. He arrived at 7:30, and class didn't start until 8:00, but he decided to wait inside the classroom since there was nothing for him to do, or anyone to talk to, anyway. He opened the door and groaned at what he saw. He saw Erza, sitting alone inside the classroom.

He was about to shut the door and leave the classroom, when he heard her say, "You're early today." He muttered, "So what? And I thought you said you weren't going to talk to me?" Erza sighed. "Look, I just want to talk to you. Is there anything wrong with that?" He raised his eyebrows and said icily, "Well, I don't feel like talking, especially to you. Just mind your own damn business." She stood up and slammed her hands down on her desk. "What the hell are you getting all angry at me for? I haven't done any damn thing to make you so mad at me!"

He felt his anger rising, but tried to stay as calm as possible. "You're right about not having done anything. I just don't like it when people try to get close to me," he said coolly. She growled, "And why the hell is that?" He glared at her. "Like I said before, it's none of your damn business. I have nothing more to say to you, miss _president_," he said in a mocking tone. Erza was _really _close to blowing her top. She absolutely hated this guy's guts, and she wanted to punch him over and over again. She didn't get why he hated her so much. It was just so damn frustrating to her.

Then again, he felt the same way about her. He hated the way she tried to know more about him. Why couldn't she just shut up and mind her own damn business? He didn't know why she was trying so hard to get him to open up when she knew that he wouldn't ever do it. The tension between the two slowly built up. Both of them glared at each other, neither one of them wanting to back down. Suddenly, the door opened and Lucy entered. "Good morning, Erza!" Lucy said cheerfully. When Erza didn't respond, Lucy looked at the two. They appeared to be having a glare-off to the blonde student. The blonde sweat dropped and she asked nervously, "Is this a bad time, Erza?"

Erza finally noticed Lucy and said a little coolly, "No, Lucy. It's fine. What are you doing here?" Lucy gulped. "Err, uhm, actually, the principal called for you. He said to come to his office right away." The president nodded and said, "Alright. I'll be there immediately. Thank you for informing me." Lucy nodded, still feeling nervous, then left.

"You really should do something about that attitude of yours," Erza said a little coldly. Zane snorted. "And what if I don't want to?" The president narrowed her eyes and said, "Then you'll have to answer to me." The black-haired student laughed coldly. "And you think I'm scared of you? Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not scared of anyone, not even the student council president." The cold laugh sent shivers down the president's spine. Unable to find the words to answer back, she just sent him a cold glare and left the room.

The black-haired student plopped to his chair. "Tch, what the hell is wrong with that woman, really? She tells me to fix my attitude, but she couldn't even fix her own attitude. Why the hell does she even want to talk to me in the first place when she clearly knows it'll just turn into a heated exchange every time. Damn, she makes my blood boil," he muttered in frustration.

* * *

As Erza left the classroom, she heard Zane mutter to himself. "Tch, what the hell is wrong with that woman, really? She tells me to fix my attitude, but she couldn't even fix her own attitude. Why the hell does she even want to talk to me in the first place when she clearly knows it'll just turn into a heated exchange every time. Damn, she makes my blood boil." The words had hurt Erza and she felt her chest tighten. "Is there anything wrong about wanting to get to know him?" She said sadly, and walked away.

She arrived at the principal's office and knocked on the door lightly. She heard a faint "Come in," and she opened the door. A short, old man with white hair was sitting on a chair behind his desk. "Ah, Erza. Please, have a seat." Erza nodded and sat down. "What did you want to talk to me about, Principal Makarov?" The Principal's, now known as Makarov, expression turned serious. "I wanted to know how our new student is doing." The scarlet-haired president stiffened and slowly said, "He's a little – no, he is extremely difficult to get along with." The principal sighed. "In what way is he being difficult?" Erza rubbed her chin, and said, "Everytime I attempt to talk to him; he won't give me a straight answer and would always start an argument with me. He said he didn't like it when people tried to get close to him."

The principal sighed again, and Erza asked, "Is there anything you know about his past? Maybe something that could help on why he's acting that way?" Makarov shook his head. "No, there's nothing we know about him so far. But, would you still try to befriend him? I think that there's no one more suited to do this than you, Erza." The president nodded, and said, "Yes, I will keep on trying." Makarov smiled. "Thank you, Erza. You may go."

The president stood up and made her way back to the classroom. _Just what on earth happened to make him that way? Was he always like that, or did something bad happen to make him cold and distant towards everyone? _She sighed. _Somehow, I can't help but think that we're the same. The only difference is that he's much, much, colder and indifferent. _

She stopped in front of the classroom and opened the door. Gildarts was already there and appeared to have started with the lesson. "Oh, Erza. Where have you been?" Erza said simply, "The principal had called for me and we talked about something." Gildarts nodded understandingly. "You may have your seat." She nodded and took her seat beside the spiky-haired student. As always, he seemed cold and distant and appeared to have paid no mind to her.

All the while during their morning classes, she would sneak glances at him. But not once did she ever see him smile. He looked always so serious. "Why the hell am I even doing this in the first place?" She muttered to herself. She thought of inviting him to eat with them during lunch before he could leave the room. The bell rang and she tapped him lightly on his shoulder. "Do you want to have lunch with us?" He gazed coldly at her and said, "No, thank you. I'd rather be all alone," then he left the classroom.

Erza sighed exasperatedly as he left. "Whatever am I going to do about him?" She mused. "Let's go, Erza!" Cana said. Erza sighed again and went with Mira and Cana. "So, I saw you tap Zane's shoulder. What did you ask him?" Mira asked with a mischievous smile. Erza said in an irritated voice, "I just asked him if he wanted to eat with us. But of course, he gazed coldly at me and refused, saying he wanted to be alone." Cana chuckled. "Not only the mysterious type, but also the cold one, huh?" Mira pouted and said, "Cana, are you trying to go after him?" The brunette shrugged and winked. "Why not, I mean he _is _pretty hot, you gotta admit. I wouldn't mind having a hot boyfriend. Erza sighed. "Then you go and approach him, Cana. I'm tired of him picking fights with me all the time I strike up a conversation."

They entered the cafeteria and saw that their friends weren't there yet. "Hmm, the teacher must be dismissing them a little late," Erza said. "Let's find seats and wait for them." Mira said with a smile. The president nodded and followed after Mira. They found an empty table with eight vacant seats and took their seats. Shortly after, Lucy and the rest arrived. "Hey, guys!" Natsu said with his usual toothy grin. Erza simply nodded at him. Gray noticed this and turned to Lucy. "Hey, is something wrong with Erza? She seems to be in a pretty sour mood." Lucy thought back to when she called Erza this morning and sweat dropped. "I-I guess you could say that." Wendy noticed the blonde's nervous answer and asked, "Do you know what happened, Lucy-chan?" The blonde relayed what she saw in Erza's classroom to the others. Cana frowned. "So, you got into another argument with Zane this morning, Erza?" The president had a demonic aura around her, and her friends whimpered in fear, except for Mira who was always oblivious to these kinds of things.

"I really don't get what the hell is wrong with that guy at all. You try to be friendly with him, and he returns the favor with a cold answer. It's only been two days, but I can honestly say that I am sick and tired of his damn foul attitude," Erza ranted.

Wendy whimpered in fear. "C-c-c-calm d-d-down, E-Erza-san." Erza clucked her tongue. "Tch. I'm going somewhere for a while. I need to cool off." The others didn't attempt to stop her. They knew that she needed to be alone when she was in a bad mood. "It's been a while since I saw Erza get all worked up like that," Gray commented. Natsu nodded in agreement. "Yeah, the last time we saw her get all furious was when she caught Jellal in the act of cheating on her." Wendy said timidly, "A-ano, are you sure we should just leave Erza-san like that?" Lucy answered the dark blue-haired student. "Yeah, Wendy. She'll be back to her usual self once she lets go of her anger." Wendy nodded. "Okay."

Breaking all the tension, Mira asked innocently, "So, do you think Erza likes Zane?" The others sweat dropped. _So innocent! Did she not catch the conversation we had?! _All of them screamed in their minds. "M-Mira, I don't think that was the point of our conversation a while ago." Lucy said as she sweat dropped. "Oh, okay!" Mira said and smiled sweetly. They sweat dropped again, thinking how innocent the white-haired student was.

"Gray-sama~!" You won't act cold towards Juvia, right?" Juvia asked as she clung to Gray. The raven-haired boy blushed. "Of course not, Juvia. You are my girlfriend after all." Juvia shrieked in pure delight. "Kyaa~!" Gray-sama is so sweet to Juvia!" Lucy, Natsu, Cana and Wendy sweat dropped at the exchange while Mira just giggled. _Aaah, love is such a wonderful thing. _The white-haired student thought with a big smile.

* * *

**A/N: And there's the end of Chapter 2! Oh, and the fifth OVA is already out! Too bad it's still RAW, meaning no subtitles yet. :( And I'm still waiting for the day they announce the continuation of the Anime (Which I hope would be soon). Anyway, see you guys in the next chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Chapter 3 is here! I hope you guys enjoy this and please leave a review! Thanks! :D**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does. I do not own the song I used in this chapter, either. The song is called, "Shot Heard 'Round The World" by Boys Like Girls, which is my favorite band. :D**

* * *

Like yesterday, Zane stayed on the roof. He plugged in his earphones and started listening to music. He chose a rock song sung by his favorite band, Boys Like Girls, to heighten his energy and drown in the noise; it was one of his ways of getting rid of his bad mood.

**I used to hide away and only try to save myself**

**From falling in love or staying up on the shelf**

**I was afraid to walk the streets alone or by your side**

**Just waiting up for something that could save my life**

**No, there's no way out, stuck inside my head now**

**Headed for a break down, when I should be headed out the door**

The chorus started playing, and he began singing along. He loved music. He played the guitar and the members from his old gang even said he had a good voice.

'**Cause I found out there's no such thing as a miracle, a miracle**

**And I know you can't hide, it's the shot heard 'round the world**

**Light's out, there's no such thing as a miracle, a miracle**

**But baby don't cry, it's the shot heard 'round the world**

It was working, he felt his mood slightly get better, and he continued to sing along.

**If we could light up every street with our cellular phones**

**Then maybe we could save ourselves or maybe we won't**

**But it doesn't matter even if we got no plan**

**As long as you're holding on to somebody's hand**

**Because the way out's, stuck inside your head now**

**But I know we can break out if we can all just step outside the door**

'**Cause I found out there's no such thing as a miracle, a miracle**

**And I know you can't hide, it's the shot heard 'round the world**

**Light's out, there's no such thing as a miracle, a miracle**

**But baby don't cry, it's the shot heard 'round the world**

"But baby don't cry, it's the shot heard 'round the world," he echoed as the song continued.

**I'm gonna kiss the sky tonight, maybe you should try it**

**I'm gonna learn to fly tonight, and you're invited**

'**Cause all the things that we've become, are making me so frickin' numb**

**And this time I have had enough**

**Goodbye, and say hello to the end of the world**

'**Cause I found out there's no such thing as a miracle, a miracle**

**And I know you can't hide, it's the shot heard 'round the world**

**Light's out, there's no such thing as a miracle, a miracle**

**But baby don't cry, it's the shot heard 'round the world**

**Light's out, there's no such thing as a miracle, a miracle**

**But baby don't cry, it's the shot heard 'round the world**

He grinned in satisfaction as the song ended. He lied down on the ground and continued listening to music, completely unaware that the door to the roof opened.

* * *

Erza fumed all the way to the roof. It was her favorite spot to vent out her anger whenever someone put her in a bad mood. She opened the door to the roof, and looked around. Unfortunately, the reason for her anger was also up there. He had earphones plugged in and he appeared to be singing along to something. She admitted that he had a pretty good voice, but it still didn't change the fact that she disliked the guy. She sighed tiredly and began to turn away, but was surprised by what she saw. He was _actually _grinning. She shook her head in disbelief, thinking, _No, it might just be my imagination. _She walked away, not wanting to get into another argument with the guy.

"So, the roof is where he goes to, huh?" She told herself. She shook her head vigorously and muttered, "Why the hell do I even care, anyway?" Then she began walking back to the classroom. "Oh, Erza. You're back already?" She turned around and saw Mira and Cana walking towards her. She nodded and said, "Yes." Cana raised her eyebrows and commented, "That was pretty quick, though. Usually, you'd stay there longer." The president answered, "I didn't feel like staying there long. That's all." Mira smiled. "Okay. Let's go back to class." Erza smiled slightly and went back with her friends. "Oh, and, Erza? I'll take your advice a while ago and try talking to Zeke," Cana said with a wink. "Suit yourself. But he's a tough one to crack. Don't say I didn't warn you," Erza said and shrugged.

They entered the classroom and it was only a short while before their afternoon classes were to start. "It looks like there's no more time. I'll just do it later, then," Cana said. They took their seats and endured the rest of the day.

* * *

The bell rang and Cana stood up. She winked at Erza and made her way towards the black-haired student. "Hey there, Zane," she cooed. The boy raised his eyebrows, clearly not amused. "And who the hell are you?" He said roughly. "Oh, you're really quite the cold one, aren't you?" She chuckled. "Just spit out whatever you're going to say. I don't have the time for this," he said as he rolled his eyes. "I was wondering if you'd like to hang out with us after school. Or, if you'd like, alone with me," she said as she winked.

"Sorry, I don't hang out with anyone. Especially if they're friends of _hers_," he said coldly as he jerked a thumb towards Erza. The brunette was completely caught off guard. As she regained her composure, she said, "Erza's right. You need to completely fix that attitude of yours." He snorted. "Oh, now _you're _the one telling me that? Did miss 'president' put you up to this?" She glared at him and held him by his collar. "Don't you dare talk about my friends like that!" She said angrily and raised a hand, poised to slap the black-haired guy, but was stopped by Erza's commanding voice. "Cana, stop! He's not worth it." The brunette narrowed her eyes and let him go. "We're just trying to be friendly here. But, if you say something bad about my friends again, I'll make sure Erza's not going to be around to stop me." He scoffed and remarked, "It doesn't matter. None of you scare me." He grabbed his bag and walked out the classroom, feeling pissed.

"Why'd you stop me, Erza? He deserved to get slapped across the face for talking crap about you," Cana whined. "Don't get me wrong, I really wanted to see you slap him, as well. But violence is not allowed in the school," Erza said strictly. "Tch, fine. But next time, he won't be as lucky," the brunette muttered angrily. "Do you want to go to the café' again?" Mira asked. Erza shook her head tiredly. "No, thank you. I want to go get some rest immediately. Tell the others I'm sorry." Mira smiled understandingly. "Okay, we'll see you tomorrow." The president nodded and began walking home.

As she walked the streets, she bumped into a girl with pink hair. "I'm sorry," Erza apologized. "It's okay," the pink-haired girl giggled and walked past the president. Suddenly, rain came pouring in. "Damn, I don't have my umbrella with me," Erza cursed herself and started running.

* * *

It had begun to rain and Zane immediately opened his umbrella. He continued walking casually and saw a flash of red running towards the opposite direction. _Is that Erza? Why the hell doesn't she have an umbrella? _He thought. Then he debated whether to run after her and offer his umbrella or just pretend he didn't see anything and just continue walking. If he left her alone, she might get sick and the chances that he won't see her at school tomorrow was pretty high. This seemed like a good idea to him, but as much as he disliked her, she was still a girl. And he didn't like seeing girls helpless. Plus, there was something about her that he kinda liked. He liked the way she stood up against him and how she seemed unfazed by his cold words.

He chuckled coldly, thinking he was getting a little soft - as though he was reverting back to his old self. Then, he sighed and thought, _Fine, I'll help her just this once. I just hope she doesn't take it the wrong way and see it as an opportunity to become closer to me. _Then he began running after the scarlet-haired president. Years of being in a gang had its advantages. Zane could run faster than most people, and he didn't get tired as easily. He finally caught up to his classmate and used his umbrella to shield her from the pouring rain. The president turned around sharply to see who had shielded her from the rain. He could read the shock in her face when she saw him.

"Zane?" She asked in disbelief. "Lemme guess. You're thinking that I would be the last person to ever help you, huh?" Zeke said. She narrowed her eyes. "I thought you disliked me?" He sighed and answered, "Yeah, I do. But it's not my style to see girls helpless in the rain, no matter how much I dislike them." She smiled and chuckled softly. "What the hell are you laughing for? Don't get me wrong, this still doesn't mean that I want to hang out with you. This will be the first and last time that I'll be helping you out," he said, looking annoyed.

"Thank you," she said simply.

"Whatever. I'm not getting all friendly with you, no matter what happens. Just take the damn umbrella and get out of here."

"And what about you?"

"I'm fine. A little rain isn't going to hurt me. Just go already, before I change my mind."

"Fine. Just make sure you won't get sick."

"Now, you're worried about me? That isn't like you. Now, go!"

Erza sensed the urgency in his voice, and she hesitated at first. But finally, she decided to just go. As soon as she left, he took cover under a waiting shed. "I really couldn't believe that you just did that, Zane. I thought you were pushing everyone away." A voice said. Zane turned around and found another of his friends from the Lightnings. "Kevin," Zane regarded the man with a simple nod. Kevin was about as tall as Zane and had a lean body. He had long, spiky, blue hair and dark green eyes and had slightly rugged features. He wore a simple dark red shirt and blue jeans with black sneakers.

"Don't tell me you're interested in her?" Kevin asked mischievously. "It's nothing. I just don't like it when girls look helpless," Zeke growled. The blue-haired man raised his hands in the air. "Whoa there, man. Calm down." Zeke said nothing.

"Why'd you let her run off immediately, anyway?"

"You know why, Kevin."

"What? That an enemy from other gangs might see her with you and make her a target?"

"That's exactly it! Dammit, that's why I left the gang and kept pushing everyone away from me! I thought I'd get a peaceful life once I left, but the truth is, enemies of ours still hunt me down, trying to kill me. I don't want anyone getting involved with me any longer!"

"Damn, man. What about Sarah?"

"What do you mean by what about her?"

"She's concerned about you. She's been worried sick ever since you left and changed. All she wants is to see you smile and become happy again. She cried a lot the other day when you argued. She hates seeing you that way, Zane."

"Tell her I'm sorry I made her cry…but I'm still staying this way. Goodbye, Kevin."

"Just take care of yourself, man. I wouldn't know what to tell Sarah if something happened to you."

"Yeah…you guys take care, too. And take care of Sarah for me."

"Got it."

Zane waved at Kevin and began running towards his house, not wanting to get any more soaked than he already was.

* * *

As Erza left, she looked behind her, but Zane was already gone. She smiled slightly to herself. _He doesn't really seem that bad at all. Maybe I should give him another chance. _She thought. _But, I wonder why he wanted me to leave as soon as possible? There's still much to learn about him. But, now I know that he actually has a gentle side to him. _

She began walking quickly, as the rain was getting harder. Finally, she arrived at her house, and unlocked the door. The umbrella had protected her from the rain, but she was still wet from before Zane had given it to her. She folded the umbrella and left it by the door, then removed her clothes and went into the bathroom to take a shower. She sighed in relaxation as soon as the hot water hit her body.

While she was taking a shower, she thought back on her conversation with Zane a while ago. There was still this obvious dislike in his tone, and she began wondering more on why he disliked her that much. All she wanted was to get to know him better, but what confused her even more was why she even bothered to try talking to him when she did indeed know that he would just push her away. Was it that she was actually getting interested in him?

Sure, she hated him a lot at first, but when he offered his umbrella to her, a little of that hate dissipated. But she couldn't let her guard down; she had already been hurt a lot during her last relationship. She didn't want the same thing to happen again. She wanted to believe that he didn't mean the hurtful things he said during their heat-filled arguments, but then again, she still didn't know him that well. She sighed as she turned off the shower, her thoughts leaving her confused.

She pulled on her pajamas and lied down on her bed. There were a lot of things about him that bothered her, but what bothered her the most was when he kept on telling her to leave quickly. It was as though he was afraid that something might happen. "Why, though? Why does he keep pushing everyone away?" She murmured tiredly and closed her eyes, the exhaustion kicking in.

* * *

As Zane was running, he was thinking that maybe Kevin was right. Not the part that he was interested in Erza, of course. He still disliked her. _I really couldn't believe that you just did that, Zane. I thought you were pushing everyone away. _Kevin's voice echoed inside his mind. Zane sighed tiredly. Maybe he really should just have left her alone in the rain. After all, her getting sick is nothing compared to having gang members after her skin and injuring her badly, maybe even killing her off. _Crap, why am I so concerned about her? I really should avoid her again tomorrow and pretend that nothing happened today. _He thought angrily.

He arrived at his house and as he went inside, slammed the door shut. "Dammit, Erza! Why the hell are you making my life so frickin' complicated?!" He yelled at the empty house. He sighed in frustration as he changed his clothes and lied down on his bed. "Ugh, I'll just stay absent tomorrow. I don't want to see that damned woman for a day," he said angrily.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, even though Zane still acted like a jerk. See you guys in the next one!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Chapter 4! Quick update, because I had no school today and there was no schoolwork needed to be done. Therefore, I decided to work on this. Hehe. Oh, and by the way, I'm currently working on a sequel to my first fanfic (Moving On From His Death). *Squeals* Hahaha. Well, on to the story!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does. **

* * *

Erza woke up early, as she always did. She ate her breakfast, took a shower, changed into her uniform, and headed towards the door. She immediately noticed the umbrella sitting by the door and she put it inside her bag. "I'll return this to him at school," she said with a soft smile. Then she frowned. "I wonder if he'll be back to his usual angry and distant self," she mused.

She went out her house and saw the sun shining brightly, as though it hadn't rained hard yesterday. "It's such a beautiful day," she commented as she walked towards Fairy High. She arrived at the classroom and opened the door. It was empty, of course, since she's always the first one to arrive in her class. She checked her watch. It said 7:20. She was quite early, forty minutes early, to be exact. She decided to study her notes while waiting. After about twenty minutes, she heard the door open and looked to see who it was. "Oh, hello, Mira," she said. Mira giggled. "Hello, Erza. You're early again as usual." Erza nodded. Then another person arrived. It was Cana this time. "Good morning, Mira and Erza!" The brunette greeted them. "Good morning to you, too, Cana!" Mira said with a smile while Erza just nodded again. "So, did you get home yesterday before the rain poured down?" The brunette asked the scarlet-haired president.

The president shook her head. "The rain already came pouring down as I was walking. I didn't have my umbrella so I got drenched in the rain. Although…" She trailed off, wondering whether she should tell the two about her encounter with Zane. "Although, what?" The brunette asked. The president decided to continue. "Zane suddenly appeared and offered me his umbrella. I accepted the offer." Cana's eyes widened in shock and she stuttered, "Z-Z-Zane really did that? I thought he disliked you!" Mirajane just giggled like a schoolgirl. Erza sighed and said, "He said he still disliked me, of course. He just said that it wasn't his style to see girls helpless in the rain." Mira sighed dreamily and asked, "Did he walk you home?" Erza shook her head. "No. He just gave me the umbrella and told me it was the first and last time that he was ever going to help me. Then he told me to leave immediately." Cana rolled her eyes and said in a sarcastic tone, "Wow. What a gentleman he is."

The other students came streaming in the room, and Mira and Cana went to their assigned seats. Erza searched the stream of students for Zane, but couldn't see him. She felt her heart sink a little. _He might just be late._ She thought. Then, the bell rang and there was still no sign of Zane. Their teacher already went inside the room, and the president decided to focus on the lesson. _Why am I even getting worked up all about it? This isn't like me. I can't go falling all over again. Last time I did, it didn't end up so well. Plus, he's a complete jerk. _She thought. But another voice inside her head said: _Well, he did offer you his umbrella. He could have just pretended not to notice you and leave you like that. Try giving him another chance. _The voices inside her head frustrated her and made her all confused. She sighed in exasperation and pushed the thoughts out of her head. She couldn't afford to get distracted during classes.

The morning seemed to drag on slowly for the student council president. She would keep glancing at the door, hoping that at some point it would open and Zane would come in. Lunchtime came, and she still didn't see him. _Is he actually cutting classes? I'm going to have to talk to him tomorrow. _She fumed. The bell rang and she went to have lunch with her friends.

"Hey, guys!" Natsu greeted with his usual toothy grin. Cana and Mira smiled back while Erza just nodded stiffly.

"Is anything wrong, Erza-san?" Wendy asked in concern.

"It might be because Zane is absent," Mira said and giggled. The others' eyes' widened in shock. "WHAAAT?!" They screamed in unison. They thought that it was because Erza liked Zane. Somehow, the president knew what they were thinking and her eyes narrowed. "No, I do not like him. He's a complete jerk," she said in distaste. They gulped and laughed nervously. "Of course. Eh, eh-heh."

"But, man, that guy sure has guts. Being Erza's classmate and going absent," Gray commented. Natsu folded his arms across his chest and nodded in agreement. "Man, he's never going to hear the end of it when he comes back tomorrow." Then Lucy added, "Especially if he has no good reason for not coming to school." The others, except for Mira, Erza, and Cana, nodded solemnly. "You guys obviously don't know about that boy. He argues with Erza a lot, and he doesn't appear to be scared of her at all." Cana said. The others sweat dropped and asked, "I-is that true, Erza?" Erza nodded. Natsu was already praying silently in his mind. "Crap, I hope I don't meet that guy. And I definitely hope I don't walk into their arguments," the pink-haired student said in fear.

Then Lucy remembered the glare-off Zane and Erza had when she walked into their classroom. The memory made the blonde student gulp and it sent cold shivers down her spine. Her boyfriend noticed the nervous atmosphere she was giving off and asked, "Is anything wrong, Luce?" Lucy smiled naturally as though nothing was wrong. "It's nothing. I'm fine, Natsu." He frowned and said, "Okay then."

The bell rang when their conversation ended. Natsu stretched and complained, "Man, we still have to endure the whole afternoon. This sucks." Erza shot him a glare, which shut him up. "I-I mean, school sure is fun! I can't wait for the next class!" He exclaimed in fear. "Good. Do your best, Natsu," the president said approvingly and left along with Mira and Cana.

* * *

Classes have ended and Erza, along with her friends, began walking towards the school gates. Then, they went their separate ways towards their homes. She began walking through her normal route. Suddenly, she saw a flash of black spiky hair and recognized it as Zane. He appeared to have come out of the narrow alley and she wondered what he was doing inside there. But more importantly, she wondered what the hell he was doing by not going to school. She began fuming and walked quickly towards the direction that the black-haired student was heading to. After a few seconds, she caught sight of him. He was wearing a black hoodie and dark blue jeans and red sneakers. "I've got you now," she smirked and walked even faster. Finally she caught up to him, and tapped his shoulder.

He turned around and met her gaze. Upon seeing her, a low, angry growl escaped his throat. "What the damned hell are YOU doing here?" He said with an angry look in his eyes. It was obvious that he didn't like it when he saw her. She matched his angry look with one of her own. "And what the hell are you doing, cutting classes?" She gazed at his face and noticed a few minor scratches. Then she added, "And what happened to your face?" He raised his hands with a mixture of exasperation and annoyance in his face.

"Crap, can't I get through one whole day without _seeing _you or even _arguing _with you?"

"Just answer my question."

"What if I don't want to?"

"You'll have to."

"Why the hell do you care, anyway?"

"That's because I'm the student council president. And, I want to know if your reason for being absent is acceptable or not. And did you get into a fight?"

"Oh, you want the reason why?"

"Yes, I do."

"Fine. It's because I didn't want to _see _you, okay? But I guess that plan failed. And it's none of your business whether I get into fights or not."

His cruel words hit her hard. He didn't want to _see _her? Well, she didn't want to see him, either. She thought that there was actually something good in him when he offered her umbrella, but it turns out that she was wrong. This guy was a total jerk. She was left speechless.

"Are you done now?" He said as he tapped his foot impatiently.

"Well, I'm sorry if I wasted your time. I didn't want to see you, too. Now, here's your umbrella," she said in irritation as she shoved the umbrella into his chest. Hard. But, he didn't even wince. "Thank you, miss Scarlet," he sneered and turned away abruptly from her.

She could do nothing but simply watch him as he walked away. She could pretend that his words didn't hurt her, but they did. She didn't mean what she said; she was just far too angry to even think about what she could have said instead. She didn't even know why she felt hurt. This shouldn't have even bothered her in the slightest. She shook her head, still feeling the sting from his words and turned around.

* * *

As he walked away, he muttered to himself, "Great, just great; another argument with her. Won't there ever be a day that she won't try to pick fights with me? I am sick and tired of her trying to have a proper conversation with me." He rubbed his head and continued. "I guess it would've been better if I had just gone to school today. There's just no getting around that damned president." He sighed and smirked slightly to himself. "But I like that woman's guts, she doesn't even seem scared of me." She was the opposite of Clair. Clair was a kind and sweet girl. He smiled sadly at the thought of her. He still missed her and every part of him ached for her. "I miss you, Clair…" He whispered in a pained voice. "I wish you were still here…"

He continued walking, still drowned in the thoughts of his dead girlfriend. But the scarlet-haired president loomed into his thoughts every once in a while. "Erza Scarlet…she is an interesting girl. But, I won't get her involved with me," he said to himself. He arrived at his house, and dropped to his bed, not even bothering to change his clothes. He felt a little tired from remembering the day's events. He had gone to his old gang's hideout and had a little friendly brawl with the other members. He refused to do so at first, since he wouldn't fight unless his life depended on it. But finally, he relented, which resulted in the few scratches he now has on his face.

He closed his eyes and slept until the next morning.

* * *

It was already 6:30 when Zane woke up. "Crap, I'm gonna be late!" He said in a panicked voice and took a really quick shower, changed into his uniform, grabbed a piece of bread and started running. It was 6:55 when he opened the door. "Man, that was close. I wouldn't want to have that woman breathing on my neck again if I had been late," he muttered to himself as he took his seat. He felt someone tap his shoulder but he groaned and ignored whoever it was, but the tapping continued. He sighed exasperatedly and snapped. "Dammit, what do you want?!" The people inside the classroom stared at him but he ignored them. "It's good you came to school today," a voice said. He laughed a little coldly. "Well, I didn't want you getting under my skin again, miss president." Erza frowned. "Whatever." He sighed and turned his head away from her.

Their morning classes ended and Zane went to the roof. He lay down and stared at a picture of him and Clair. The thought of her made his heart hurt. He was still feeling a little sleepy, so he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. As he was sleeping, he dreamt about Clair and himself.

_It was a beautiful sunny day, and Zane was holding Clair's hand, the two of them laughing. He stopped and she looked at him curiously. "Is anything wrong, Zane?" He smiled and answered, "Nothing." Then he kissed her. "I love you, Clair." She smiled and said, "I love you, too, Zane."_

_The scene changed. It was nighttime, and they were in the middle of a gang war. Clair fought alongside him, but there were too many of their enemies. He exchanged blows and managed to knock a few people unconscious. He watched as his girlfriend fought; she may be nice and sweet, but when it came to fighting, she was _strong. _He smiled, having confidence in her. But of course, he would also worry at times. "AGH!" He turned around and what he saw paralyzed him in shock. Clair was surrounded by the enemy, and they began punching and kicking her repeatedly. There were too many of them, and she couldn't fight back. "CLAIR!" He shouted and ran towards her._

_He tried to fight back the people who were beating her up, but there were just too many of them. Suddenly, he heard the sound of a gunshot. It had hit her, and she slowly fell to the ground, blood pouring out from her stomach. "Che, what a weakling. She is just a girl after all," a man scoffed and spat on her. Then, they walked away. Zane immediately rushed to her side and held her gently in his arms. _

_Tears began streaming down his face. "Clair…Clair, no! Stay with me!" He said in panic. "Zane…it'll…be…alright…" She whispered, her voice in pain. "No, Clair! Save your strength. I'll definitely make sure you'll come out of this alive," he said reassuringly as he stroked her hair. She raised her right hand and caressed his cheek. "I'm sorry, Zane… I love you…" She whispered her final words and her hand fell limp at her side. He began screaming. "No, Clair… Open your eyes, please! I can't live without you! You're just asleep, right? RIGHT?! I LOVE YOU, CLAIR! PLEASE, JUST OPEN YOUR EYES!" There was no response from the girl, the sparkle from her eyes were gone. "CLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIRRRRR!" He screamed in agony._

"CLAIR! NO!" He screamed, the pain searing in his chest as he woke up with a jolt. His whole body began shaking as he looked at his hands that were once stained with her blood. He clutched at his chest, and gasped for breath. He could no longer bear the pain and completely broke down. "Clair… Why? I was too weak. I couldn't protect you… Had I been stronger that day, you wouldn't have died. We'd still be laughing together right now… I miss you so much Clair, that it hurts. I don't know how I've even gone on living without you… I love you, Clair…" He bit his lip and the tears fell from his eyes.

* * *

Erza didn't know why, but something told her to go to the roof. She excused herself from her friends, saying that she needed to do something. They nodded understandingly, without knowing that she was actually headed to the roof to see Zane.

What she saw completely shocked her. She heard him scream out a name. It was 'Clair' if she had heard correctly. But what shocked her even more was when he fell to the ground and began to sob. "Zane…" She whispered, her voice shaking a little.

**I'll always remember**

**It was late afternoon**

**It lasted forever**

**And ended so soon**

**You were all by yourself**

**Staring up at a dark gray sky**

**I was changed**

In that moment, Erza felt her opinion of Zane change. She suddenly felt guilty for judging him without even really knowing him.

**In places no one will find**

**All your feelings so deep inside**

**It was then that I realized**

**That forever was in your eyes **

**The moment I saw you cry**

She now understood why he was always alone from the roof. He wanted to hide himself and who he really was from everyone.

**It was late in September**

**And I've seen you before**

**You were always the cold one**

**But I was never that sure**

**You were all by yourself**

**Staring up at a dark gray sky**

**I was changed**

She felt his coldness and his being distant, but there were times she doubted that he was really like this. And the scene in front of her confirmed that he also felt sadness despite his coldness towards everyone.

**In places no one will find**

**All your feelings so deep inside**

**It was then that I realized**

**That forever was in your eyes **

**The moment I saw you cry**

She was the only one in school who saw him that way. He was burying all the pain and guilt he felt inside of him, and pushed everyone away. She found herself beginning to fall for him.

**I wanted to hold you**

**I wanted to make it go away**

**I wanted to know you**

**I wanted to make your everything all right**

She wanted to comfort him, to make all his pain and guilt go away. She wanted to make him feel that everything was going to be all right. But she knew that she was in no position to do that. She was nothing but a nuisance to him anyway. She felt conflicted; she didn't know what to do. They might just end up arguing again; but then again, she felt that he needed someone to talk to.

**I'll always remember**

**It was late afternoon**

**In places no one will find…**

**In places no one will find**

**All your feelings so deep inside**

**It was then that I realized**

**That forever was in your eyes **

**The moment I saw you cry**

After a few more moments of debating it out in her mind, she finally decided on what she would do.

* * *

**A/N: Whoooaaa, cliffhanger. Although it's not really that suspenseful, is it? Haha. -_- I was actually listening to Cry by Mandy Moore as I was typing out this chapter, and I got an idea to use it here. Additional disclaimer: I do not own the song. So, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and please leave a review! Until the next chapter! *Waves***


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Here's Chapter 5! Sorry if it took a while, my internet's been acting crappy and school is stressing me out. -_- Anyway, please leave a review!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does.**

* * *

She decided to try talking to him and comfort him. She would not lose her cool if he tried to pick another fight with her. She began walking and stood behind him. "Zane…" She whispered. He stopped shaking and turned around to face her. "Erza… What are you doing here?" He said in a pained and tired voice. It was the first time he said her name properly, and she smiled inside her head. It was one step to getting closer to him.

She sat down beside him and said, "I just felt like I had to go here." He nodded and stayed silent. She stayed silent as well. "Aren't you going to say anything after seeing my pathetic display?" He said in a questioning tone. "I won't force you to say anything. You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to," she explained. "I guess you see now that forcing someone to tell everything doesn't work, huh?" He said with a slight chuckle. Normally, she would have glared at him, but she knew that it wasn't proper to do it. But she realized that he was also right. "You're right, Zane. I'm sorry," she apologized.

He raised his eyebrows, the shock apparent in his face. "Wait, why are you saying sorry? After all the hurtful things I said to you, you decide to say sorry?" She shook her head. "I said some mean things to you, as well." A faint smile formed on his lips. "All right, I'll tell you everything. Starting with this…" He faced his back towards her and raised his polo. She gasped as she looked at his back. There was the lightning-shaped scar that she knew all too well. "You're… a member of the Lightnings?" She asked in shock.

He lowered his polo and turned to face her again. "Yes… Your last name is Scarlet, right? Then I'm guessing that Katherine and James Scarlet are your parents?" He asked. She nodded slowly. She never would have guessed that Zane was a member of a gang, not to mention that it was the gang that her parents were also in before. He continued. "They never mentioned to us that they had a daughter. Maybe it's because they wanted to keep you safe by keeping it to themselves. They might have thought that enemies of ours might harm you once they learned that they had a daughter."

She felt her lips quiver and she lowered her head. Then, he continued. "They were like a mother and a father to me, since my real parents died when I was young. They were really great people, always looking out for us. It also broke my heart when I heard that they died." She snapped her head when she heard his last sentence. "You mean you weren't there when they died?" She asked. He shook his head sadly. "I was out with Clair the time it happened. All I heard from our leader was that they died from the many bullets that hit them. But, to imagine that they had a daughter… I'm really sorry for your loss, Erza."

She raised her head and saw the sincere look on his face. "It's okay… thank you for telling me this, Zane," she whispered and smiled softly. He nodded and continued his story. "But, back to the main point. Look at this picture," he said as he handed her the picture he was staring at before he fell asleep and had his nightmare. She saw Zane with a girl, their arms wrapped around each other with big smiles on their faces. She thought that Zane really was handsome when he smiled. Then she turned her attention towards the girl. The girl looked about the same age as her and was slightly shorter than Zane. She had dark green hair that went past her shoulders and light blue eyes. She had curved eyebrows, a slightly small nose, and pearly white teeth. _She looks beautiful. _Erza commented inside her head. "This would be…" She trailed off. "Clair," he said, finishing her thought. "She's _beautiful_," Erza said in awe.

He smiled in agreement. "Yeah, she sure is. You might know now, but she was my girlfriend. She was a real nice person. She was sweet and loving, and she cared about the people around her. She was understanding, forgiving, and would always take the time to listen to other people when they had problems. And, she was also part of the gang."

"You could even say that she was perfect. She's the first girl I ever loved; I loved everything about her. Just seeing her smile, being with her was enough to make me happy. I truly loved her with all my heart." Erza noticed that his eyes brightened when he talked about Clair. She could see that he really did love her dearly. She smiled expectantly at him, and he continued. "I really thought that we were going to be together, that someday in the future, we would get married, settle down, and have kids of our own. But then…" He trailed off in a pained voice.

Erza placed her hand on his chest. "You don't have to continue if it's too painful for you." He shook his head. "No, it's fine. I need to get it off my chest, too." She nodded understandingly and removed her hand from his chest, allowing him to continue. "One night, we had a gang war with the Blood Seekers. There were few of them at first, and we managed to knock out most of them. But then, more and more arrived and their numbers overwhelmed us. We fought back as hard as we can, but it still wasn't enough. We couldn't help each other because of their large number.

"Suddenly, I heard a scream of pain… I turned around and saw the enemies beating Clair harshly. I finished the last of the ones I was fighting and tried to stop them from hurting her. But I was already weakened, and I was tossed aside. After that…" He flinched at the memory.

"I heard a gunshot. The bullet hit her stomach, and she was bleeding badly. I ignored the pain in my body and ran over to her. I held her in my arms, and told her that I'd make sure that she'd be fine. But she lost too much blood… She held my face and told me the last words I'll ever hear from her… She told me that she was sorry, and that she loved me… After that, she closed her eyes. I tried to convince myself that it was all just a bad dream, but I saw her blood on my hands and I just lost it. I began screaming and sobbing. I was a broken mess after her death."

Erza felt a lump in her throat. She'd never have imagined that Zane had gone through so much pain. He had lost the girl he loved the most. She looked at him and noticed that he was shaking again. "Because of that, I pushed everyone away… I was too weak. I was scared that someone might die again because of me. That's why I acted cold and angry towards everyone, thinking that it was all for the best; so that they wouldn't die because of my weakness." Then, he looked at the president. "I'm really sorry for all the hurtful things I've done and said to you, Erza. I know that you don't deserve it, seeing as you never did anything to me in the first place. I just… I don't want the same thing to happen again," he whispered hoarsely.

Suddenly, she did one thing that neither of them was expecting. She threw her arms around him. He didn't resist and just fell limp. She felt his body shaking against hers and he began to sob. She stroked his hair and whispered reassuringly, "It's fine, Zane… Just, let it all out." She never knew that he was actually capable of acting like this. He was always so angry and distant, that she thought he wasn't capable of shedding a tear.

But, she realized that everyone has a hidden sorrow, a hidden weakness inside of them. No matter how hard they try to act strong, they could never hide their sorrow from the world forever. She knows because she's the same way, too.

* * *

Realizing that he was too close to her, he gently pushed her away. "That shouldn't have happened…" He muttered with a conflicted voice. Erza felt slightly hurt and disappointed when he pushed her away, but decided not to show it. She wasn't too sure about her feelings, anyway. Plus, they had just met a few days ago. "Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me those things, Zane," she said in a formal manner. He answered, "It's no problem…and thanks for listening, Erza."

She smiled and touched his hand lightly. "Anytime." He didn't resist her touch; he didn't know why, but it felt so right. "So…have you had any boyfriend?" He asked in a whisper. She cringed slightly at the question and he noticed her discomfort. He squeezed her hand reassuringly. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." A smile played on her lips as he squeezed her hand. He had strong, rough hands, but it was surprisingly gentle on hers.

She squeezed back his hand and smiled. "It's fine." He nodded and removed his hand from hers. "I had one boyfriend, and his name is Jellal Fernandes. We had been together for nearly two years. He was a kind and understanding guy, and he always made sure to make me happy." Zane raised his eyebrows at the part that she said was. "Was?"

She nodded and continued. "I don't know why, but one day, he changed. He was angry all the time and always argued with me. Sometimes, he would even hit me…" Zane felt himself flare up in anger at her last sentence. He couldn't stand it when guys hit girls, especially if they're together. He breathed sharply and clenched his fists.

"But I loved him, so I would endure every hit he gave me. But one day, I saw him with another girl…I didn't mind it at first, but then I saw them kissing passionately. I was frozen in place, but after a moment, I strode over to them and slapped him. I could never forget what happened next.

"The girl asked him who I was, and he answered by saying that he didn't know who I was. The two of them laughed coldly and left. I felt hurt and humiliated. I went home, and I received a text from him, saying that he was sorry and that he didn't mean it. I replied by saying that I was sick and tired of hurting me all the time, both physically and emotionally. I told him I never wanted to see him again and never made any attempt to make any contact with him after that," she finished with a tears beginning to fall down her face.

As she finished her story, Zane held her hand and stroked it gently. "Hey, I'm sorry to hear that…but you deserve guys better than that jerk. And, I'm really sorry for everything I've done to hurt you… I never should've done those things, especially since you already went through a lot because of that idiot," he said sincerely. She smiled and shook her head. "No, it's fine, really. You never knew about this, anyway." He smiled back. He had misjudged her, and he felt guilty for that. She was just a human like him, and she also had buried hurt inside of her.

He gazed at her face and found that she was beautiful. There was a hint of gentleness in her brown eyes that he hadn't seen until now. Then there was the way her long, beautiful, scarlet hair flowed in the wind and the way that she smiled was also beautiful. He felt his heart beat a little faster. He hadn't felt this way ever since Clair died. In that moment, he felt himself begin to fall for the beautiful student council president in front of him.

Without thinking, he reached out his hand to touch her face and wiped away her tears. Her skin was soft and smooth to his touch, just like Clair's. She blushed at the contact and lowered her head. Realizing what he had done, he quickly pulled his hand away. "I'm sorry…" He mumbled apologetically. "Er, no, it's alright," she said in a flustered voice. "You shouldn't be crying over that jerk. You'll find someone who deserves your love, eventually," he said in a soothing voice. "You're right. Thank you for listening to me, Zane," she whispered gratefully. "No problem," he said with a smile. It was a long time since he truly smiled, and it felt nice.

Then, he looked at his watch. It said 12:50. "We better get going if we don't want to be late," he pointed out to the president. He began to stand up but was held back by the feel of someone's hand on his wrist. "Erza?" He asked in confusion. "You won't go back to being cold and distant, will you?" She whispered. He shook his head. "Don't worry, I won't. I'm tired of putting up that façade, anyway," he said reassuringly. She smiled and stood up. The two of them walked back together, their hearts freed from the burden they carried for a long time.

* * *

**A/N: There's the end of Chapter 5! I hope you guys enjoyed it, and I'll see you in the next chapter! :D**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Here's Chapter 5! Thanks for all the reviews, follows, and favorites! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and please leave a review! Thanks! :D**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does. I also do not own the song used in this chapter. The song's name is "Be Your Everything" by Boys Like Girls**

* * *

Cana's mouth widened in shock and Mira kept on giggling when they saw Zane and Erza walk in the classroom together. The two sat on their respective places and smiled at each other, which made Cana's jaw drop further. "Z-Zane actually smiled?!" The brunette shrieked in shock, obviously used to him scowling and looking angry all the time. Mira kept on having a giggling fit, feeling all giddy from seeing Zane and Erza together. Even though they aren't actually _together _in the romantic sense of things.

The bell rang and the class settled down. They had Math for an hour and PE for the last two hours of school. They headed to the gym and Erza went to the girls' changing room while Zane went to the boys' changing room. The girls had volleyball while the guys had basketball. The volleyball and basketball court were just right next to each other. The student council president changed into a white short-sleeved t-shirt, and black short shorts that was around two to three inches above her knee. She also tied her hair in a ponytail.

She looked at the basketball court and saw Zane walking. He was wearing a golden-colored jersey top and shorts and a pair of black basketball shoes. His muscular arms showed through his sleeveless top and Erza blushed slightly. The boys had already started, and she watched Zane play with the others. He was _really _good, he took every opportunity that presented itself to steal the ball and shoot. She watched as his opponents' – even his teammates' jaw drop and eyes widen in shock. Natsu and Gray – who were also on his team, looked completely shocked, as well. She chuckled at the thought of seeing another side of him.

His game ended and she saw him exchange high fives and grins with his teammates, and shake hands with his opponents as a sign of good sportsmanship. She heard a whistle and a voice say, "All right, girls! It's time to play a game!" Erza smiled and took her position, unaware that Zane was also watching her at this time.

* * *

The game ended, and Zane exchanged high fives with his teammates. "Man, you're good!" A pink-haired boy said in awe. A raven-haired boy appeared beside him and nodded in agreement. "Is this your first time playing?" Zane shook his head. "Nah, not really. I've played quite a few times in the past with my old friends." The pink-haired boy grinned. "You're _really _good, though. Name's Natsu Dragneel. What's yours?" Zane grinned back and said, "The name's Zane Arazaki. Nice to meet you, Natsu."

The raven-haired boy paused, thinking that he heard the black-haired guy's name before. The pieces clicked together in his mind and his jaw dropped. "Wait, YOU'RE Zane?" He asked in shock. Zane looked puzzled. "Yeah, why?" The raven-haired boy sweat dropped. "Y-you're completely different from what Cana and Erza told us about you."

Natsu realized at what the raven-haired boy was getting at, and his grinning face turned into one of shock and fear. "Oh, crap! Please, don't kill me!" The pinkette whimpered. Zane raised his hands and said, "Whoa, guys! Don't worry, I'm not gonna kill you. I'm not that guy Erza and Cana said I was before." The raven-haired boy scratched his neck sheepishly. "Sorry, man. The name's Gray Fullbuster, by the way," he said as he offered his hand to the black-haired boy. Zane shook Gray's hand and said, "No worries, Gray."

"Yeesh, Gray! You had me all scared for no reason!" Natsu complained.

"Well, it's not my fault if you're a scaredy cat," Gray retorted.

"What'd you say, stripper?!"

"I'm not a stripper!"

"Really? Explain where your clothes went to, then!"

"Oh, crap! Where'd my clothes go off to?!"

Natsu rolled on the floor, laughing so hard that tears formed in his eyes.

"What's so funny, huh?!"

"You're what's funny! AHAHAHAHA!"

"Grr, why you!"

The two began fighting but Zane ignored them and turned his attention towards the beautiful scarlet-haired president inside the volleyball court. Her gorgeous scarlet hair was tied up in a ponytail and she had a determined look on her face as she returned the ball towards her opponents with confidence. She looked breathtakingly beautiful at that moment, and he couldn't tear his eyes away from her. What he once felt was hate as he looked at her before was now replaced with feelings of bliss and peacefulness as he gazed at her.

"You've really changed me back, Erza," he said to himself and smiled.

Her game ended and he saw her turn around to face him. She waved her hand and smiled; and he gave a thumb's up. She laughed and turned around to chat with her other friends.

* * *

After her game, Erza chatted with her friends. "So, Erza? What's the deal between you and Zane? A few days back, you guys were at each other's necks; and now, you're acting all friendly towards each other," Cana said as she shook her head in amazement. Erza smiled mysteriously and said, "Let's say we just had a heart-to-heart talk." Lucy rolled her eyes and muttered, "Well, that escalated quickly." Unfortunately for the blonde, the president heard her comment. "What was that, Lucy?" She asked in a threatening voice. "Eep! N-nothing, Erza! Please, don't kill me!" She said as she cowered in fear. Mira just giggled at the scene unfolding in front of her eyes, and suggested, "Ne, Erza. Why don't you invite Zane to come with us? I'm sure he'll agree if he's really changed." Wendy nodded in agreement. "I agree with Mira-san! What about it, Erza-san?" Juvia stayed silent, apparently uninterested, since her Gray-sama was the only one for her.

Erza paused and stroked her chin thoughtfully for a moment. "Sure, why not? It would be better if he had more friends." Mira giggled. "It's settled then. Let's go get changed!"

The girls went into the changing room and changed into casual clothes. Erza wore a long sleeved white blouse with frills in the center, a pair of dark blue jeans, and a pair of red flats. She was the first to finish changing and she began walking towards the basketball court. She began searching for Zane and found him talking to Natsu and Gray, and approached him. "Hello, Zane," she said. He turned around and smiled. "Hey, Erza." Then he looked at her from head to toe. "Where're you going, all dressed up like that?"

She felt conscious of how she looked like as he stared at her. She cleared her throat. "Well, we were planning to go to the mall and have dinner afterwards. Natsu and Gray are coming along, as well. I was wondering if you would like to come with us?" She crossed her fingers, hoping he would accept. Natsu grinned and added, "Yeah, you should come with us. We don't mind having a new nakama along for the ride."

He thought about it for a moment, and finally decided. "All right, I'll come along. I didn't bring anything to change into, though." A voice behind them suddenly said, "Oh, that's no problem. You could go home for a while and get changed. I'm sure Erza would love to come with you. Then she can just text us once you've arrived at the mall." They turned around and saw that it was Mira who was talking. Erza blushed and silently cursed the white-haired student. Gray added, "Yeah, we can wait for a while. It's still early, anyway. We'll just go on ahead after we get changed."

Then Cana added with a wink, "Unless Erza doesn't want to come with Zane, then I'll gladly take her place." Erza flared up and hissed, "Damn you, Cana." The brunette just shrugged it off and said nonchalantly, "You're welcome, Erza." Then they left, leaving Zane and Erza alone. "Well, you could go ahead with them, if you want to. I can just grab your number and text you once I arrive," Zane said.

She quickly regained her composure and said, "No, it's okay. Thank you for your thoughtfulness." He nodded and said, "Okay. Just let me go grab my things and we can go." He went to the changing room and she decided to sit on a bench as she waited. "Seriously, that Cana. There's nothing between me and Zane, anyway," she said as she rubbed her forehead exasperatedly. _Maybe not now, but sometime in the future? _A voice inside her head said. She smacked herself square in the forehead for thinking such things.

Sure, he really was nice, after all. She thinks that she's really not yet ready for another relationship, what more with someone she had just met quite recently. But she herself couldn't deny that she found him interesting and likeable. Her thoughts were broken as she heard footsteps approaching. "Ready to go?" He asked. She nodded. "Okay, follow me. And, if anyone tries to attack, just run." She looked at him in confusion and he sighed. "You're still with a former gang member with enemies that might attack him at any time." She shook her head and fervently said, "I'm not going to run. I'll help you out." He groaned. "Oh, crap, Erza. Please, we just got along already. I don't want to have another argument with you. Just listen to me if you want to live." She exhaled sharply and said, "Fine." He chuckled at her stubbornness. "What are you chuckling for?" She snapped. "Whoa, there. Calm down. Now, let's go. And stick close to me, no matter what," he said in surrender.

She nodded and did as he said. Things were uneventful as they walked to his house. He was still wary though, and he looked at his surroundings cautiously. Seeing that nothing was happening, he breathed a sigh of relief and quickly ushered Erza inside, then locked the door. "What's the rush?" She asked as she raised her eyebrow questioningly. "You never know what might happen. I'm just being careful. I don't want to put you in harm's way," he said in concern. A smile formed on her lips. He really has changed from the time they talked on the roof. Then he added, "Wait up for a bit, I'll go get changed." She nodded and asked, "Can I look around?" He shrugged. "Sure, why not? My place's just small, though." Then he grabbed his clothes and went to the bathroom.

She went around his house. Like he said, it was small, but it was enough space for one or two people to live in. There was a small couch, a television, a single bed, and a small kitchen. There was a small table at one corner and she went over to it. There were framed pictures on the table. There was one picture with four people. Two of them were Zane and Clair, with his arms wrapped around her waist. Behind them were a pink-haired girl and a man with long, spiky, blue hair. "The other two must be his friends from his gang, as well," she mused then looked at the other pictures. Most of them were pictures of Zane and Clair together, and some were only of Clair. "He really must have loved her that much, judging by the way he talks about her and all these pictures," she said with a smile. "He's a really good guy…"

Then she saw a guitar in another corner of the room. "Oh, so he plays guitar, too? He's really talented, isn't he?" She chuckled. She loved learning more about him, and her interest in him only grew deeper. "Hey," she heard his voice and turned around. He was wearing a white t-shirt with a black colored headphone design that went around the collar, black jeans, and a pair of blue sneakers. "So, you play the guitar?" She asked. He nodded. "Yeah, I've been playing for a few years now. Do you want to hear me play?" She smiled and answered, "I'd love to." He smiled back, grabbed the guitar, and put himself in a playing position, and began strumming and singing.

**Four letter word**

**But I don't have the guts to say it**

**Smile 'til it hurts**

**But let's not make it complicated**

**We've got a story**

**And I'm about to change the ending**

**You're perfect for me**

**And more than just a friend**

**So we can just stop pretending now**

**I've gotta let you know somehow…**

She smiled as he strummed the guitar. He played it well, and also had a good voice.

**I'll be your shelter**

**I'll be your storm**

**I'll make you shiver**

**I'll keep you warm**

**Whatever weather**

**Baby I'm yours**

**Be your forever, be your fling**

**Baby, I will be your everything**

She knew this song; it was her favorite. She began singing along with him.

**We used to say**

**That we would always stick together**

**But who's to say**

**That we could never last forever?**

**Girl, got a question**

**Could you see yourself with somebody else?**

'**Cause I'm on a mission**

**And I don't wanna share**

**I want you all to myself, right now**

**I just wanna scream it out**

Their voices blended together beautifully, creating a harmonious sound.

**I'll be your shelter**

**I'll be your storm**

**I'll make you shiver**

**I'll keep you warm**

**Whatever weather**

**Baby, I'm yours**

**Be your forever, be your fling**

**Baby, I will be your everything**

Her favorite part, the bridge, came and they both sang with emotion.

**No matter what you do, yeah**

**Well, I'll be there for you**

**And every time you close your eyes**

**I will be by your side**

'**Cause every time you make me sing**

**Baby, I will be your everything**

They smiled at each other as they sang the last chorus.

**I'll be your shelter**

**I'll be your storm**

**I'll make you shiver**

**I'll keep you warm**

**Whatever weather**

**Baby, I'm yours**

**Be your forever, be your fling**

**Baby, I will be your everything**

**Baby, I, Baby, I will**

**Baby, I will be your everything**

**Baby, I, Baby, I will**

**Baby, I will be your everything…**

He strummed the guitar softly as the song ended. "You like this song, too?" He asked. She nodded and said, "Yes, it's my favorite song." He grinned. "That's great. We better get going, though. We don't want to keep them waiting." She nodded, feeling a little reluctant to leave.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed reading this chapter, and yeah. I know nothing really happened here. I just couldn't get any ideas. :( Anyway, see you guys in the next chapter!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Here's Chapter 7! A little quick update since I might not be able to post a new chapter this week because of exams. :( So, yeah. Wish me luck! I hope you guys enjoys this chapter and please leave a review! Thanks! :D**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does.**

* * *

They arrived at the mall and Erza texted Cana. She put her phone back inside her pocket. "They're at the west entrance, we'll meet them there." Zane nodded and they headed to the west entrance. "Hey, there!" Cana greeted them with a grin while Erza glared menacingly at the brunette. The brunette pretended not to notice this and continued grinning. Mira broke the tension with her angelic smile. "Come on!" The girls went together with the guys tagging along behind them.

"What're we gonna do here, Natsu?" Zane asked the pinkette. Natsu shrugged. "The usual. The girls shop and we carry their stuff. Then we grab dinner, and go home afterwards. That's it, pretty much." Gray nodded and added, "Well, we can't back out. I swear, they scare the crap out of us whenever we said that we had something else to do." Natsu folded his arms across his chest and nodded in agreement. "Except for Wendy, of course. She's the nicest among them, since she's the youngest."

Then Gray sweat dropped. "For now. Only _if _they don't influence her to be the same in the future." Then, they heard a sweet voice say, "Natsu, come over here and help me carry this, okay?" Natsu gulped and squeaked, "A-aye, ma'am!" Then he ran towards a blonde girl. "Gray-sama! Juvia needs your help!" Gray had the same reaction as Natsu and ran towards the light-blue haired student.

"So, the blonde must be Lucy and the light-blue haired one must be Juvia," Zane mused to himself. "A-ano…" He heard a tiny voice and looked for the source. "I-I'm over here," the voice said again. He looked to his right and saw a short, dark-blue haired girl. "Who are you?" Zane asked with a puzzled look on his face. "Oh, you must be Zane-san. My name is Wendy Marvel. I'm sorry we weren't able to introduce ourselves properly to you," she said as she bowed.

He smiled and said, "No sweat. And just call me Zane, there's no need to be so formal with me." Wendy nodded and smiled widely. "Okay, Zane!" He laughed, something he also hadn't done in a long time. Then, a tall, muscular man with blonde hair and a lightning shaped scar across his right eye walked past them. "Oh, Laxus-san!" Wendy called out and the man turned to face them. "Hey, Wendy. Have you seen Mira anywhere?" The blonde man asked. "They're in that shop over there," Wendy said as she pointed toward a clothes store. "Thanks," he said and continued walking.

"Who's that guy? I haven't seen him anywhere at school." Zane asked. "Oh, that's Laxus-san, Mira-san's boyfriend. The reason you haven't been seeing him at school is because he's in college now," Wendy explained. "I see. So, does that mean that only Cana and Erza don't have a boyfriend?" Zane asked. She nodded. "Yes. Well, actually, Cana-san has just been going out randomly with other people. But she hasn't been in a serious relationship. As for Erza san…" She trailed off. Zane nodded. "I know about Erza's past relationship. She told me about it when we were on the roof." She smiled sadly. "It was really rare for us to see Erza-san smile since that day. She never wanted to go out with other guys again after that."

Zane frowned. "I can kind of understand why she doesn't want to anymore, he was a complete jerk, after all." Wendy smiled. "You're completely different from what Erza-san and Cana-san told us about you at first." He scratched the back of his neck and said, "Gray told me the same thing. Wow, I must really have come off as a jerk to all of you, huh?" She giggled. "Everyone has some good in them, after all. You're really a good person, Zane." He scratched his cheek, unsure on how to react at what she said. Finally, he mumbled, "Thanks, Wendy." She nodded her head once and said, "No problem!" He smiled and said, "Let's go to the others." Then they walked to the shop where the others were.

* * *

Erza watched the scene where Zane and Wendy were talking unfold before her eyes. He was smiling and appeared to get along with her. _He really can make friends if he wanted to. I'm glad I decided not to leave him alone on the roof yesterday. _She thought with a smile. Cana noticed Erza smiling while looking at Zane. The brunette nudged the redhead and said teasingly, "So, you're interested in him, aren't you?" Erza answered, "No, I'm not."

"Oh, really? Then why were you smiling while looking at him?"

"Is there anything wrong with that?"

"You find him interesting, don't you?"

"I told you, Cana. I don't."

"Fine then. I'll be the one to make a move on him. Don't go regretting this afterwards."

The brunette began walking towards Zane and Erza pulled her back. The redhead sighed exasperatedly. "Fine, so what if I really am interested in him?" Cana's expression turned serious. "Then approach him. Get to know him even more. You can't close off your heart to other men forever, Erza. Just because one was a jerk to you, doesn't mean they're all the same." The redhead realized that she was right. "You're right, Cana. I'll take your advice," she said with a sigh. Cana winked. "You better. Otherwise, I really will make a move on him."

Erza saw Zane and Wendy approaching, and she cleared her throat. "Hello, Zane and Wendy," she said formally. "Oh, hello, Erza-san!" Wendy greeted her with a huge smile, then turned around and ran off towards the others, leaving Zane and Erza alone with each other. "So, uh, found anything you like?" Zane asked in an attempt to make conversation. "Oh, uh, nothing yet." She answered. An awkward silence followed between the two. She didn't know what to say, the conversation just came naturally to them when they were on the roof and inside his house.

Breaking the silence, he said, "Uh, if you need someone to carry your stuff, I can do it for you." She answered a little awkwardly, "Okay, thank you." Then they found themselves staring at each other. She felt her face burning up and quickly turned away. He blushed slightly and scratched his cheek. "I'll just be sitting over there with the guys, call me if there's anything you need," he said. "Okay," she answered shortly. Then she heard his footsteps recede. She walked towards the other girls, and they began their shopping.

* * *

They went to various stores, shopping for clothes, bags, shoes, and accessories. By the time they finished, it was nearly 7:30 PM. "Okay, guys! We're done!" Mira announced. "Finally! I'm so hungry!" Natsu exclaimed, his stomach already growling. Lucy giggled and kissed the pinkette on the cheek. "I'm sorry we took long, Natsu." He grinned and said, "Let's just eat already!" The others laughed. "Where are we gonna eat?" Gray asked. Erza answered, "I heard that there's a newly opened Italian restaurant here. The people say that the food is good." Then she turned to Zane. "Is that good with you?" He shrugged. "Sure, anything's fine." She smiled. "What about you guys?" They nodded. "Okay, it's settled then."

They went to the Italian restaurant named La Pizzeria. They walked in and a waitress approached them. "Hello! My name is Lisa, how may I help you?" Erza answered, "We'd like a table for ten, please." Lisa smiled and said. "Follow me!" They followed her to a big table fit for ten people. "Here are your menus, and please call for me once you have finished choosing." They nodded and said their thanks. Lucy sat next to Natsu; Juvia with Gray; Mira with Laxus; and Cana with Wendy (which was intentionally done by the brunette), leaving Zane and Erza with no choice but to sit next to each other. Cana smirked slightly to herself. _Do your best, Erza. _The brunette thought.

Zane pulled a chair for Erza. "Thank you…" Erza murmured with a slight blush on her cheeks as she sat down. "No problem," he said with a smile and took his seat beside her. Mira giggled and Cana grinned hugely at the sight.

"What will you have, Zane?" Erza asked. "I'll have the Chicken Alfredo Pasta and lasagna," he answered. She nodded. "I'll have the spaghetti and meatballs, then." The others also made their choice and called Lisa to give her their orders. "Okay, please wait for a few minutes." Lisa said as she smiled and bowed.

"The prom is coming up in two weeks, right?" Lucy asked. Mira smiled. "Yes, everything has been fixed by the student council. The venue is the Seaside Hotel." Then Cana turned to Zane. "Are you going?" Zane scratched his cheek and mumbled, "I don't know yet. This is the first time I've heard of this and I don't have anything to wear for such an occasion." The brunette winked. "Don't worry, I'm sure Erza would love to help you out with that." A slight growl escaped Erza's throat as she glared at Cana.

Cana raised her eyebrows at Erza, and whipped out her phone to text her. Erza felt her phone vibrate and she took it out. There was a text from Cana. She sighed and opened the message.

_Well? Don't tell me you've forgotten our conversation earlier. – Cana_

The redhead sighed and turned to face the brunette. "Alright, fine." She mouthed out to the brunette. Cana smirked and nodded, as though saying: _That's more like it._

Then Erza turned to face Zane. "Okay, I'll help you pick something out." The spiky-haired boy responded, "You sure? I can do it on my own." She shook her head, "It's okay, really." He smiled, "Okay, thanks." She smiled back at him and faced Cana again. "Happy now?" She mouthed out again. Cana grinned, meaning it was a yes.

Their orders arrived and they enjoyed eating. "Man, that was delicious!" Natsu declared as he patted his stomach. The others laughed at the gesture. "Let's pay up so we can go," Gray said and called Lisa for the bill. They split the bill and paid up. "Well, we'll be going ahead, since Erza will accompany Zane to buy his clothes," Cana said with a wink. "Take care, you guys!" Mira said and giggled. Laxus took Mira's hand and they walked away.

"See 'ya tomorrow, Zane! You could have lunch with us anytime!" Natsu said with his toothy grin. Zane grinned back. "Sure. Thanks, Natsu! You guys take care on your way home, too!" Natsu waved and left with the others.

"So, what do you think of them?" Erza asked Zane. "They're cool guys to hang out with. They're a pretty noisy bunch, but fun to be with, overall," he answered with a grin. She chuckled. "You really are different now, compared to when we met." He smiled. "Yeah, I guess I am. Maybe I just realized that pushing people away wasn't going to help me. And it's thanks to you that I realized that." She blushed slightly and said, "No worries. You are our friend now, right?" He grinned. "Damn right, you are." She laughed and said, "Come on."

They went into a store that sold suits and Zane picked out a black suit with a blue necktie and a pair of black leather shoes. "This good?" He asked Erza. "Try it on," she answered. He nodded and went to the changing room.

After a few minutes, he appeared, wearing the suit. Erza gaped at him, thinking how well it suited him. He tugged his tie nervously. "Does it look alright? I mean, I'm not used to wearing such things, being a former gang member and all." She chuckled and said, "It's not really like you to be nervous at all. And it suits you perfectly." Then he mumbled, "I don't even know how to dance. Maybe I should just back out?" She heard him and gently squeezed his hand. "You'll be fine. I'll teach you how to dance everyday after school."

His nervousness faded away when she squeezed his hand. It felt so right, being with her. "Thanks," he said. She nodded and smiled. Then his face contorted into one of worry. "But are you fine hanging out with me? I mean, with my past and all. And someone might attack you." She sighed and gently jabbed his chest. "I'm okay with that, really. If I weren't, I'd have stayed away from you already." He suddenly felt reassured but decided to warn her anyway. "Okay, then. But please, just be careful."

She smiled. "Now, go change back." He nodded and went back into the changing room. After changing back, he paid for his suit and they left the mall. "I'll walk you home," he offered to the redhead. "No, I'll be fine," she said as she shook her head. "C'mon. I'll be more at ease if I walk you home," he said in concern. Finally, she conceded. She had wanted to spend a little more time with him, anyway. "Okay." She said with a smile.

* * *

Zane knew that he really liked Erza. There was just something about her that pulled him towards her. But he knew that he shouldn't fall in love and start a relationship with her. Just being friends was enough; he only wants her to be safe. If his enemies, especially the Blood Seekers knew that he was in a relationship with someone new, they'd definitely do anything to kill her to make his life a living hell again.

He felt conflicted, but at least he wasn't pushing her away anymore. Yes, just being friends with her was more than enough. "Zane?" He heard her say. He turned his attention towards her and asked, "Yeah? What is it?" She looked into his eyes and asked, "Are you okay? You look serious." He felt mesmerized by her brown eyes, and broke away from her gaze. "I'm fine. Just thinking about a few things." _More like thinking about you. _He added in his mind. She just nodded and they continued walking.

After a few more minutes of walking in silence, Erza stopped. "We're here," she announced. He nodded and said, "Thanks for inviting me to come with you. I had fun tonight." She smiled and said, "Anytime. And thank you for walking me home." He smiled back. "No problem. And…can I have your number? You know…just in case." She blushed slightly. "Sure." He took out his phone and gave it to her. She punched in her number and saved it. "Here," She said as she handed his phone back. "Thanks. Good night, Erza," he said with a smile. "Good night, too, Zane," she smiled back. Then he turned away from her and began walking. "Take care!" She called out. He waved his hand to acknowledge that he heard her and faded into the distance.

He smiled as he walked home, thinking about her beautiful features all the while. He arrived at his house and changed into a blue t-shirt and black shorts. He lay down on his bed, and sent a text message to Erza.

_Hey, Erza. It's me, Zane. I just wanted to say thanks again, and I'll see you tomorrow._

He smiled as he sent the text. After just a few seconds, his phone buzzed.

_It was our pleasure. I'll see you tomorrow, as well._

His smile widened as he typed in another message.

_Good night again, Erza. Sweet dreams. _

_Good night, too, Zane. Sweet dreams. :D_

He grinned as he set the phone down on his bedside table and closed his eyes.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Here's Chapter 8! My exams are finally done, and I really hope I pass all of them. And, FAIRY TAIL ANIME IS COMING BACK! Best news I've heard all week, and I felt extremely happy when I heard about it. 3 Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and please leave a review! Thank you for all the reviews, follows, and favorites so far. It makes me so happy! :D On to the chapter!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does.**

* * *

Erza woke up the next morning feeling great. It must have been the fact that Zane had walked her home and even sent her a text. She hummed to herself as she got ready for school and walked with a smile on her face. It was the first time she felt great in the morning ever since with what happened with Jellal.

She saw Zane as she arrived at the school gates and decided to approach him. "Good morning, Zane," she greeted him with a warm smile. He smiled back and said, "Good morning to you, too, Erza." They walked to their classroom and sat down. "So, you'll have dancing lessons with me starting later on, right?" She reminded him. "Looks like it," he answered. "Where are we going to practice, though?" She smiled. "We have a dancing studio here at Fairy High. I have already made the necessary reservations for the next two weeks."

He laughed. "You're always prepared, aren't you?" She smiled and said, "That's why I'm the Student Council President." He grinned and suddenly, the door opened. "Good morning, Zane and Erza~!" A sweet voice greeted them. "Good morning, Mira," Erza said with a nod while Zane smiled. Soon after, Cana arrived. "Hey there," the brunette greeted and took her seat and Mira followed suit.

The four talked for a while, and a few more minutes later, their other classmates came pouring in the classroom and the teacher arrived. They quickly settled down and the lecture began. They just had normal lectures that morning, and finally, the bell rang.

"Zane, come have lunch with us!" Cana said happily. "Sure," Zane answered. Erza smiled and walked beside him. They headed to the cafeteria and saw the rest waiting for them there. "Hello, Zane!" Wendy greeted him with a smile. "Hey, Wendy!" He greeted back.

Erza felt that Zane really got along with the dark blue-haired girl. "You really get along with Wendy, don't you?" She asked. He answered, "Yeah. She's a really nice girl." She smiled. "That, she is." They bought their food and sat down with the rest.

"Yo, Zane!" Natsu said with his toothy grin. "Hey there, Natsu!" Zane grinned back and fist bumped with the pinkette. Erza smiled, thinking how well the two got along. "So, you got your suit?" Gray asked. "Yeah, and it's thanks to Erza for helping me out," Zane answered. Erza blushed slightly at him mentioning her name. The brunette noticed this and nudged the redhead. "You really do like him, don't you?" She whispered teasingly. The redhead glared at the brunette. "Just mind your own business, Cana." The brunette shrugged and rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Erza."

Erza sighed exasperatedly as she glanced at Zane. He appeared to get along really well with the others, as he was already joking and laughing with them. He really had a big change from the time they first met. She knew the answer to Cana's question. _Yes, _she did like him, to the point that she already found herself having feelings for the black-haired boy. She didn't care about his past; she felt that he was a good guy, through and through. She couldn't wait until dismissal, knowing she would get to spend more time with him alone.

They bell rang and they went back to the classroom. "You're really getting along well with the others," Erza pointed out to Zane. He grinned. "Yeah, they're really fun to be with. They're just like the guys from the gang." She smiled. "That's good to know."

* * *

Their afternoon classes ended and Zane followed Erza to the dance studio. He smiled at the thought of getting to spend time alone with her again. "We're here," she announced and opened the door. They went inside and he glanced around. The studio was big, and there was a sound system set up in the middle of the room. "You can put your things over there," she said as she pointed to a cabinet. "Thanks," he answered and put his stuff in.

"Let's start first, without the music," she said. "Come here and stand in front of me." He did as he was told and stood in front of her. "Now, put your right hand on my waist and use your left hand to hold my right hand." He followed her obediently and held her. He glanced at her face, and thought how beautiful she looked. He suddenly felt himself tense and she noticed this. "Just relax. Don't worry," she said soothingly and he felt his muscles relax. "Good," she smiled. "Now, just follow my lead."

She taught him the steps, but he still felt nervous. He would step on her feet at times, but she never got annoyed or mad. She taught him with patience. He was steadily improving, and Erza decided to stop. "You're slowly improving. And I think this is enough for today." He nodded. "Thanks, Erza." Then they grabbed their things and headed out the school.

"Hey, I'll walk you home," he offered, hoping she wouldn't decline. His wish was granted when she answered, "Sure," with a smile. He smiled and they began walking. "How long have you been in the Lightnings, Zane?" She asked.

"Since I was thirteen, but I left when…when she died."

"Oh. I'm sorry for asking, Zane."

"No worries. I've already accepted the fact that she's gone. And…I don't miss her as much as I did before."

"Really? Why?"

"Let's just say that someone helped me get over it. And I realized that grieving over her death forever isn't going to help me move on and find someone new."

"Have you found that someone?" She found herself blurting out the words and immediately regretted saying such things.

"Well…I can't say that I love her, but I know that I like her and I'm beginning to have feelings for her. But, the truth is…I can't let her get anymore involved with me than the way we are now. I just want her to be safe, and she definitely won't be safe if I were to start a relationship with her, especially considering my situation right now."

He didn't know what the hell he was thinking, saying such things to Erza, or if he was even thinking at all. Especially since she was the one he was talking about. He mentally cursed himself, just hoping that she wouldn't realize that it was herself he was talking about. But what he told was the truth; he couldn't afford to let her get hurt.

"Oh, I see." She said simply. He just nodded, thinking about his foolishness. "We're here. Good night, Zane," she said with a smile. "Yeah. Good night, too, Erza," he said as he smiled back and walked away.

* * *

As she closed the door, she remembered the words she blurted out. Truth be told, she hadn't expected him to answer quite easily. There were actually a hundred questions she wanted to ask him after his answer. Who was this girl? Why can't he start a relationship with her? Whoever she is? Was it someone in school? Was it someone from his old gang? And, the one question she wanted answered most of all… Was it herself?

She shook her head, thinking that it was impossible. They had only met recently, after all. But why did she keep getting her hopes up? _It isn't entirely impossible, you know. You yourself already admitted that you're beginning to have feelings for him. _A voice inside her head said. _No. There's still his matter with Clair. _She thought in argument with the other voice.

Finally, she shook her head tiredly and just went to bed. Still, she couldn't stop herself from hoping that it was herself that he was talking about as she closed her eyes.

* * *

For the next two weeks, they practiced hard. During the last day of their practice, he felt confident and was now the one leading her. Their dancing was in sync with the music, and their bodies moved gracefully.

"You're a good dancer," she complimented him. He smiled and whispered, "That's only because I've been taught by a beautiful and graceful dancer." She chuckled. "Funny, I don't remember teaching you to be a smooth talker these past two weeks." He chuckled back. "I think that's enough for today. We need to get our rest and prepare for tomorrow, after all," she said. He nodded. "Thanks again for taking the time to teach me, Erza." She smiled. "No problem, Zane."

They took their stuff, and like he did for the past two weeks, he walked her home. He knew his feelings for her developed the past few days, but he was determined not to make their relationship grow any more than what it was right now. They arrived in front of her house and before she could go in, he pulled her back by her wrist. "Yes, Zane?" She asked with a confused look on her face. "One more thing," he said with a smile. "Erza Scarlet, will you be my prom date?"

She blushed hard at his question. Of course she would be his prom date. She rejected every offer that was given to her because she waited for Zane to ask. "Yes, Zane. I would love to." His smile widened and he let go of her wrist. "I'll pick you up tomorrow at 6:30 PM. Good night." She smiled as she watched him leave.

He suppressed every urge to jump and shout in joy when she agreed to be his date. He grinned as he walked back to his house, but suddenly stopped in front of a jewelry store. He wanted to get her something as thanks for being patient with teaching him how to dance, and decided that a necklace seemed good.

He went in and browsed the collection. A silver necklace with a star-shaped pendant caught his attention. _This would suit her pretty well. _He thought with a smile. "How may I help you, sir?" A lady asked him. "I would like to get this," he said as he pointed out to the necklace. "That would be 5,000 Jewel." He grabbed his wallet and handed the money to the lady. She put the necklace inside a black box and handed it to the black-haired boy. "Thank you, sir. We hope to see you again." He smiled. "Thank you, as well."

He put the necklace inside his bag and continued walking home. When he arrived, he put the necklace in his suit pocket to make sure that he won't forget to bring it. Then, he went to sleep.

* * *

The sun shone down on Erza's windows, causing her to stir and ultimately leading her to wake up. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, then reached for her phone. There was a text from Lucy, which read:

_Good morning, Erza! Don't forget to meet up with the rest of us at my house, 'kay? I'll see you later! – Lucy_

_That's right. We were supposed to gather at Lucy's house later this afternoon to get ready. I'll have to text Zane about the change in plans. _Erza thought then began typing a message.

_Good morning, Zane. There's been a change of plans. I forgot to tell you last night that I'm meeting up with Lucy and the rest at her house. I'll text you the directions and you can pick me up there. Thank you. _

She hit the send button and got out of bed. She took her time getting ready and neatly folded the gown she was going to wear for later that night and put it inside a bag, and packed her footwear separately. She went out of her house and called for a taxi.

She arrived at Lucy's house – or rather, mansion and rang the doorbell. "Hello? Who is this?" A voice asked over an intercom. "This is Erza Scarlet," Erza responded. "Ah, Miss Erza. Please, come in." The voice said again and the gates opened. She smiled as she shook her head. _Sometimes I forget how rich Lucy is. _She thought as she went in.

Cana, Mira, Wendy, and Juvia were already there as she went in. "Hey, Erza!" Cana greeted the redhead with a devilish grin. "Why are you looking at me like that, Cana?" Erza demanded. "Oh, nothing. Maybe all of us are just wondering about your 'date' with Zane last night?" The brunette answered innocently.

The redhead glared at the brunette. "First of all, Cana. It was not a date. I just helped him pick out a suit, and that's all," she said curtly. The brunette rubbed her chin and pretended to be deep in thought. "Oh, really? He didn't ask you to be his prom date, maybe?" Erza blushed and sighed. "Alright, fine. He did ask me to be his prom date and I accepted," she said as she folded her arms across her chest. This made Mira squeal in delight and bounce all over the room.

Lucy sweat dropped at the white-haired student's reaction. "Someone sure is happy about this, aren't they?" The others nodded their heads in agreement. "Now, let's go get ready," the redhead said, ignoring Mira's squeals of delight. Then, she checked her phone and found a message from Zane.

_Alright. I'll be right there as scheduled._

Erza smiled and sent him the text with the directions to Lucy's mansion. After sending the text, she put her phone back inside her bag and followed the other girls into the dressing room.

They spent the whole afternoon helping each other fix themselves up and get dressed. At exactly 6:30 PM, a servant of the mansion came into the dressing room. "Miss Scarlet?" The servant asked. The redhead faced the servant. "Yes, what is it?" The servant smiled. "Someone named Mr. Zane Arazaki is waiting for you at the gate." Erza blushed and answered, "Thank you for informing me. Please tell him that I'll be there shortly." The servant bowed. "As you wish." Then he left.

"It looks like someone's date is punctual," Cana said teasingly and winked. Erza blushed even more furiously and muttered, "Oh, shut up, Cana." Then she grabbed her things and left. Mira squealed again and giggled. "I'm betting that those two will end up together one of these days," Cana said with a grin.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Chapter 9! So, yeah. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and please leave a review, and thanks for all the reviews so far! :D**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does. I do not own the song I used in this chapter, either. The song is called "Wanted" by Hunter Hayes.**

* * *

Zane leaned against the car that he borrowed from Kevin as he waited for Erza. Shortly after, the beautiful redhead came into view. She wore a black short-sleeved gown and her hair was tied up in a bun with a few strands that hang loose to frame her face. The dress had deeply accentuated her red hair and made her even more beautiful. He gulped as he stared at her. "Good evening, Zane," she said with her gorgeous smile, making his world spin. "You look stunning, Erza," he whispered, clearly awestruck by how beautiful she looked. "Thank you. You look quite stunning, yourself," she said as she blushed.

He smiled and took out the black box from his pocket, showing her the necklace he bought. "I got this for you. It's my way of saying thanks for teaching me how to dance and for listening to me when we were on the roof." She blushed even harder and whispered, "It's beautiful, Zane. Thank you." He took the necklace out of the box and helped her put it on. "It looks beautiful on you," he complimented. Then he held the door to the car open. "Come in." She smiled and went in. He closed the door and went to the driver's seat.

He started the engine put his hands on the wheel. "Where did you get this car?" She asked. "I borrowed it from Kevin. He's one of my friends from the gang," he explained.

"It appears that you've got some good friends from your gang."

"Yeah, they're pretty nice."

"Do you have a best friend there?"

"I do. Her name's Sarah. Although…"

"Although, what?"

"Well, I could sense that she has feelings for me."

"And? Have you confronted her about it?"

"No. I don't want to make things complicated between us; nor do I want to hurt her by telling her that I don't feel the same."

"You should tell her sometime. I'm sure she'll understand."

"I don't know about that. But…I'll try."

Erza nodded and looked ahead. A few moments later, they arrived at the venue of their prom. He went to her side and opened the door. "Shall we?" He asked as he offered his arm. She smiled and took his arm, and they walked inside.

The lobby looked amazing, with red carpeting and a fancy setup for the dining tables. There was a big space in the middle, which would appear to be the dance floor. There were already a lot of people inside who were socializing. They decided to reserve a table for their group and sat down.

"Zane? Can I ask you something?" Erza asked curiously. "Sure, go ahead," he said.

"I was wondering why your gang has a lightning-shaped scar for your mark? Because usually, gangs have tattoos, am I right?"

"The leader chose a scar, because the process of creating the mark on us is painful, and it's our way of promising that we will go through whatever pain in order to help our fellow members. Also, so that should we choose to leave in the future, it's a reminder of the sacrifices we made for the gang," he explained in a serious manner. "Why do you ask?"

She lowered her head and answered, "I never got the chance to ask my parents about it." He took her hand and gently squeezed it. "I'm sorry, Erza," he whispered apologetically. "It's okay," she said with a smile. He nodded and removed his hand from hers. Literally right after he pulled his hand away, their other friends arrived. "Yo, Zane! Erza!" A cheerful voice greeted them. The two turned their heads and Zane greeted back. "Yo, Natsu!" Erza chuckled at the exchange.

Cana sat beside the redhead and whispered teasingly, "So, how are things between you two?" The redhead just rolled her eyes.

"What is it to you?"

"Just asking. I think you guys look good together."

"Drop it, Cana."

"Fine."

Music started playing, and Zane approached Erza. "Would you like to dance?" He asked as he bowed. "I would love to," she said with a smile and he led her to the dance floor. "Have I mentioned how beautiful you look tonight?" He whispered into her ear. She blushed and pointed out, "I think you might have when you picked me up." He chuckled. "There's no harm in saying it again, is there?" She laughed. "No, I suppose not." He laughed back and twirled the redhead around, catching her each time with ease.

The song ended, and another guy asked Erza to dance. She accepted and Zane looked for someone else to dance with. He saw Cana and decided to ask her. "Hey, Cana. Want to dance?" He asked. She grinned and nodded, "Sure, Zane." They danced, and the brunette decided to ask Zane about Erza. "So, Zane. What do you think of Erza?" The brunette asked bluntly. The question completely caught the spiky-haired boy off guard, and he nearly missed catching the brunette. "Ah, crap. Sorry about that," he apologized. "It's fine. Now, back to my question," the brunette said as she waved her hand dismissingly.

He decided to answer the brunette, since he could feel that she won't let him off the hook easily. "I think she's a good friend, and I could tell that she cares about the people who are close to her," he said, hoping it was enough. But, oh, was he wrong.

"Do you like her?"

"Wow, you're really not letting me off the hook, are you?"

"Damn right, I'm not."

"I'm really not sure about how I feel about her yet. But I do like her…" He muttered. The brunette grinned. "That's good enough." Zane breathed a sigh of relief as the song ended, not wanting to be questioned further by the brunette. He danced with other girls as the evening wound down. It was the last song and the time for the last dance. He knew immediately whom he wanted to dance with and rushed to the redhead. "May I have your last dance?" He asked the redhead sincerely. She smiled and nodded.

**You know I'd fall apart without you**

**I don't know how you do what you do**

'**Cause everything that don't make sense about me**

**Makes sense when I'm with you**

Maybe Zane would have completely fallen apart and broken down even more had she not intervened during his episode on the roof at school. He needed someone to talk to that time; otherwise he might have gone crazy again.

**Like everything that's green, girl, I need you**

**But it's more than one and one makes two**

**So put aside the math and the logic of it**

**You gotta know you're wanted too**

He knew right now that he needed Erza; and he wanted to be the man that would free her of her past hurt with Jellal. He wanted to make her feel wanted again.

'**Cause I wanna wrap you up**

**Wanna kiss your lips**

**I wanna make you feel wanted**

**I wanna call you mine**

**Wanna hold your hand forever**

**And never let you forget it**

**Yeah I, wanna make you feel wanted…**

Zane didn't know what to do anymore. He wanted to kiss her and hold her in his arms so bad, but he knew that he shouldn't, lest he put her in harm. He resisted the urge to pull her close, and breathed calmly. Then, he felt a pair of hands hold his face, and found him gazing into her brown eyes. _Dammit, pull away! _He shouted in his mind. But he already found himself pressing his lips gently against hers. Realizing what he had done, he gently pushed her away. "Zane?" She whispered, and he could read the hurt and disappointment in her words.

He broke away from her gaze and whispered painfully, "I'm sorry, Erza. I can't do this. We can't be together." Then he turned away from her and made a start to walk away, but felt her hands on his wrist. "Why not? I thought you're done pushing people away," she said, the pain still reflected in her words. He shook his head, still not making an attempt to face her.

"I can't start a relationship with you. I don't want you to get hurt by getting more involved with me. Being friends is enough." He felt her grip tighten. "Zane, please." She begged. He fought the pain he felt in his chest and gently released himself from her hold. He began walking away, and heard her whisper. "Please, Zane. I love you…"

He wanted to turn back and face her, to tell her that he loved her, too. But he told himself that it was all for the best, so that she would be safe. He just shook his head and whispered again, "I'm really sorry… Goodbye, Erza." And with that he walked away and never looked back.

* * *

"I'm really sorry… Goodbye, Erza." With those words, she felt her whole world crumble into pieces as she gripped the necklace he gave her tightly. She tried to stop the tears from flowing as she ran outside in an attempt to find him. But by the time she got outside, he was gone. She couldn't take it anymore and she knelt on the ground, still holding the necklace. She lowered her head and began sobbing. The way he said goodbye made it even more painful for her.

What did he mean by goodbye? Goodbye for this night, or goodbye... She didn't even want to think the word. Forever? "Why, Zane?" She whispered painfully in between sobs.

"Erza!"

"Oy, what happened?!"

"Where's Zane?"

"Hey! Why are you crying?!"

"O-oy! Erza! Calm down!"

She looked up and saw her friends running towards her. "Everyone…" She said painfully, the tears still streaming down her face. "What happened, Erza-san?" Wendy asked in concern. Erza wiped the tears away and relayed what happened with Zane in a shaky voice. She could still feel the weight of his words in her heart.

"But why did he tell you that he can't start a relationship with you?" Cana asked. Erza bit her lip, debating whether to tell them about Zane's past. Then Lucy put a hand on the redhead's shoulder. "Hey, you don't have to tell us if you can't. We're your friends, and we'll wait until the time you can tell us," the blonde said sincerely. Erza nodded and said, "Thank you, Lucy." The blonde smiled. "You should go get some rest, Erza," Mira said in concern. "I'll go with you, Erza-san," Wendy offered.

Erza shook her head and smiled. "Thank you, everyone. But I think I'll be fine on my own." Lucy opened her mouth to protest, but was stopped by Natsu. "Let's leave her alone for a while, Luce. I think she needs her space." The blonde student nodded and backed away. "Take care, Erza," Gray said and waved. The redhead nodded and hailed a taxi.

She went in, and the she gave the directions to the driver. She stayed silent all the way, still thinking about Zane. They arrived in front of her house, and she paid the driver. She felt herself shaking again as she fumbled for the keys. She finally unlocked the door and shut it; then with still shaking hands, she grabbed her phone and dialed Zane's number, hoping he would pick it up. It rang once, twice, and finally, ten times. He didn't pick up. _Why am I expecting him to pick up, anyway? _She thought, feeling the pain again.

She fought the urge to cry again and just went straight to bed. She felt tired; not only physically, but also emotionally. She closed her swollen eyes tiredly, and fell asleep.

* * *

Erza woke up the next morning, praying that everything that happened last night was just a nightmare. She reached for her phone and tried calling Zane again. He still didn't pick up. She sighed and lied down again. She didn't feel like doing anything at all. Suddenly, her phone rang and she jumped up immediately, wishing fervently that it was the boy she loved. She looked at the screen, and a look of disappointment loomed over her face as she saw the name of the caller. _Lucy Heartfilia, _it said. She sighed and answered the call.

"Hello, Lucy," she said in a dead voice.

"Erza… We just wanted to check up on you."

"You don't need to worry. I'm fine."

"You don't sound like you're fine."

Erza paused, not knowing what to say next.

"Why don't you hang out with us today? We'll think of a way to contact Zane."

"Fine. Where do we meet?"

"Just here at my mansion. We'll just chill out and relax for today."

"Okay. I'll be right there."

"Yeah. See you, Erza."

Then, the redhead hung up. The only thing that convinced her to go was because they would find a way to contact Zane. When she told him that she loved him, she meant it. She sighed again and got ready, _slowly_. When she finished, she left the house and made her way to Lucy's house.

She rang the doorbell and announced herself immediately, without even bothering to wait for someone to ask who she was. "This is Erza Scarlet," she said blandly. Almost at once, the gates opened and she entered the blonde's mansion. As she went in the lounge, everyone was already there. She had already expected this, since she took her sweet time in getting ready.

She plopped on the sofa without saying a single word, and just looked at her friends. The air was filled with tension as they looked at one another in silence. Cana cleared her throat and said, "Now, on to business." The others nodded and Wendy said, "We've thought of a way for Erza-san to contact Zane." The redhead raised her eyebrows curiously at Wendy, and Lucy intervened. "We're going to let Natsu call Zane to see if he picks up. Natsu will put the phone on loudspeaker. Then he'll ask Zane how he's doing and if he wants to hang out. Maybe just some random stuff, as well," the blonde explained. "And of course, the best way for this plan to work is that none of us speak while Natsu talks to Zane," Cana finished. "Are you okay with this plan, Erza?" Mira asked.

Erza nodded. "Thank you, everyone," she said with a small smile. The others smiled back. The redhead gave Zane's number to Natsu and he called the black-haired boy. They heard the ringing, and after a few moments, Zane picked up. Erza felt hurt, wondering why he hadn't been answering her calls, and now he answers the call of an unnamed number.

"Hey. Who's this?" A pained and tired voice said. Erza felt a flood of emotions swirl inside her as she heard Zane's voice. It had barely been a day, but she already missed hearing his voice. She resisted the urge to speak, knowing full well it would ruin the effort her friends made just for her.

"Yo, Zane! It's me, Natsu!"

"Oh. Hey there, Natsu. What's up?"

His voice felt completely dead to Erza and she felt her chest tighten. Natsu ignored this and continued speaking.

"I'm just wondering how you're doing."

"I'm fine. There's nothing going on right now."

"Wanna hang out with me and Gray today?"

There was a slight pause on the phone, and they waited for his answer.

"Nah, Natsu. I don't really feel like going anywhere right now. Thanks for the offer, though."

"You sure, man?"

"Yeah. Positive."

Erza couldn't take it anymore. "Zane!" She practically shouted; her voice mixed with feelings of sadness and longing.

"Erza?" He asked in disbelief. "Oy, Natsu! You didn't tell me Erza was there!" His voice had a mixture of grief and slight annoyance this time.

"Sorry, man! You didn't ask, anyway."

Then Cana interrupted. "Oy, Zane! The hell's wrong with you, leaving Erza hanging like that?!"

"It's nothing. Bye." He said quickly and hung up. There was no sound in the room except for the beep from Natsu's phone.

Erza bit her lip, fighting the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. She finally got the chance to hear his voice, but he didn't even make an attempt to talk to her. "I'm sorry for wasting your efforts, everyone," she whispered painfully. "Erza-san…" Wendy said in concern. Then, the redhead stood up. "I'm leaving. It appears that he doesn't want to talk to me, anyway." Mira made a motion to stop the redhead, but was stopped by Cana. The brunette shook her head, and Mira reluctantly sat down.

She walked quickly out of Lucy's house and began running toward Zane's house. She didn't want to believe that he didn't care for her at all. Because if he didn't, why did he kiss her in the first place? And why did the kiss feel so meaningful and real? She ran faster and arrived at his house.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Here's Chapter 10! Thanks for all the reviews, follows, and favorites so far! I love you guys! ^_^**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does.**

* * *

When Zane heard her voice on the phone, he wanted to say sorry for all the crap he put her through and tell her how he really feels. But he remembered his decision and decided that he would stick by it. He sighed tiredly. He had been unable to sleep at all last night because of the guilt he felt for what he did to Erza. He had been tossing and turning around, his head filled with thoughts of her smile, her laugh, the kiss, and most especially, when she told him that she _loves _him.

He felt that what she said was true; that she didn't just do it in hopes that it would make him turn around and hold her in his arms. But he chose to break her heart by saying goodbye and walking away. _I love you, Erza. I love you so much that it breaks my heart to do that, dammit! _He shouted in his mind. He decided to go to the gang's hideout, because he could feel himself going crazy again.

He pulled on clothes, grabbed the keys to Kevin's car, and left. He jumped in the car and drove away. As he was driving, he saw a flash of scarlet hair. _Huh? Is that Erza? _He wondered. He shook his head and continued driving. _The lack of sleep must be making me see things. _He thought and continued driving.

He arrived in front of the building and locked the car. He went in and searched for Kevin and found the blue-haired boy. "Hey, Kevin. Here're the keys to your car. Thanks again for letting me borrow it," he said as he tossed the key. Kevin caught it in the bat of an eye. "Anytime, man. So, how was your night?" A flash of pain spread across Zane's face. "I don't want to talk about it," he said blandly. "Where's Leader?"

Kevin pointed to a door at the back. "Over there. He's free, so you can talk to him." Zane nodded. "Thanks." He knocked at the door and heard a strong voice say, "Come in." He went in and closed the door. "Oh, Zane! What a surprise to see you here. It's been a long time," said a tall, muscular man with slicked brown hair and dark green eyes. Zane bowed. "Yes, it has, Leader Azrael."

The man known as Azrael smiled. "Now, what brings you here?" Zane exhaled sharply. He had already made up his mind. He would go back to the gang. "I would like to rejoin the Lightnings, sir," he said with conviction. Azrael's expression turned serious and he raised his eyebrows. "Are you sure about this, Zane?" The black-haired boy nodded his head fervently.

"What made you want to come back?"

"It's…complicated."

"Does it concern a girl?"

"I just want her to be safe."

"Don't you think you're hurting her more by doing this?"

"It's better than gangs going after her."

"But you do love her?"

"I do. And that's why I'm doing this."

"Are you _absolutely _sure, Zane?"

"Yes, sir."

Azrael sighed. "Fine. You are hereby reinstated in the Lightnings." Zane bowed again. "Thank you, Leader Azrael." Then the black-haired boy turned around. "Before you leave. If ever this girl-" He was cut off by Zane. "Erza Scarlet, sir." Azrael nodded. "If ever Erza's life is in danger, will you save her?" Zane didn't need to think about the answer. Of course he would. "Yes, I would." Azrael nodded again. "Good. You may leave." Zane shut the door behind him and sat down on one table.

As he sat, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. There was a message from Erza. "You really are a persistent one, aren't you? Even after I hurt you so much," he muttered to himself. He sighed and opened the message.

_Zane, wherever you are, I just would like you to know that I trust you. I won't bother you if you want to be alone. _

It was a simple, but powerful message. She trusts him. He couldn't believe how she could still care about him after what happened last night. He wouldn't reply to her message; otherwise, it would make it even harder for him to stay away from her. Sighing, he locked his phone and put it back in his pocket. He also hadn't answered her calls, for hearing her voice would just make his decision waver, and he couldn't afford that. That's why he was shocked when he heard her voice again when he talked to Natsu.

He pulled his hair tiredly, and pushed the thoughts away. "Zane! What are you doing here?" He heard a gentle voice say. He turned around and saw Sarah. "Hey, Sarah. I rejoined the gang," he answered. Sarah sat beside him and gently squeezed his arm. Suddenly, he remembered Erza's soft touch and he flinched. "Zane? Is something wrong?" Sarah asked in concern. He shook his head. "It's nothing," he said in a dull voice.

Suddenly, he found himself face to face with Sarah, her hands cupping his face. Again, Erza's face flashed in his mind as he remembered the kiss. He broke away from Sarah's gaze and looked down. "Sorry, Zane," the pinkette whispered apologetically. "It's fine," he said monotonously. The pinkette could sense something was wrong, judging by the black-haired boy's dull and lifeless answers.

She gently held his hand, and once again, Zane imagined Erza's hands on his. "Is there something wrong, Zane?" Sarah asked softly. He sighed and decided to tell her everything. The pinkette listened carefully to Zane all the way until he finished. "I just don't know what to do anymore, Sarah," he said in a conflicted voice. "But you love her, don't you?" The pinkette asked. He nodded slowly. "I just don't want her to get hurt." She squeezed his hand reassuringly. "If you love each other, things will turn out fine. But, it's still up to you whether you want to continue doing this."

He smiled dully, "Yeah. Thanks, Sarah. But, I think I'll stay in the gang for a while." She smiled and hugged him. He felt surprised at first, but eventually returned the hug. Suddenly, someone burst through the door, and Zane untangled himself from Sarah. "Who's there?!" Zane shouted. "Ah, it looks like Zane Arazaki is back. It's payback time for hurting my boys," said a muscular man with green hair and piercings all over his face. "Tch, the Demons, huh?" Zane said in annoyance. "Don't you guys ever learn your lesson?"

The other gang members stood up, but the man raised a hand. "Don't get in the way. This match is between me and Arazaki." Zane felt someone's hand tug on his shirt. "Sarah?" He asked quizzically. "Beat him up good, Zane. Show him that no one messes with you," she said seriously. "You got it," Zane said with determination and turned to the man.

"So, what's your name?"

"The name's Edric. Now stop with the talking and let's go!"

Edric rushed towards Zane and raised a hand to punch him. Zane caught his fist and tightened his grip, causing the Edric to wince. "Let's take this outside, Edric." The green-haired man scoffed. "Whatever. It still doesn't change the fact that I'll beat you up good, Arazaki." Then, the two men went outside.

The green-haired man aimed for Zane's face, but his fist was caught once again. While Zane held his fist, he used his other hand to punch the black-haired boy's stomach. "Ugh!" Zane exclaimed and brought a kick to the green-haired man's gut. "Gah!" But the green-haired man quickly regained his composure and punched Zane's jaw. "Damn you!" Zane exclaimed as he punched Edric's nose, causing it to bleed.

Edric held his nose. "You broke my nose, dammit!" Then he removed his hand and punched the side of Zane's face. "Hmph, like hell I care about your face," Zane scoffed. Edric was getting angry and blindly threw punches and kicks at Zane. The black-haired boy dodged each one with ease and punched Edric's face once again. Then, he sent a kick to the man's stomach and elbowed his back.

The green-haired man began coughing up blood, and Zane swiftly brought his hand upon the man's neck, cutting off air and rendered him unconscious. "Damn, for someone all alone, you sure did a bit of a number on me. I have to congratulate you for that since I haven't taken a single blow in a while," Zane said while he touched his bruises.

Then, he heard Sarah's voice. "Are you okay, Zane?" She asked in concern. "I'm fine. These are nothing," Zane shrugged it off.

"What are you going to do with him?" Sarah asked, pointing out to the unconscious man.

"Eh, let's leave him be. It's not like a gang as weak as the Demons could actually hurt us."

"Okay. But let's treat those bruises, 'kay?"

"Sure."

Sarah gently put ointment on Zane's bruises, and she smiled afterwards.

"All done," she said cheerily.

"Thanks, Sarah," Zane grinned, and Sarah grinned back.

* * *

A month has passed since Erza last saw Zane or heard his voice. There was no news from him. She didn't send another text after the last one, or attempted to call him. She did her best to understand the situation, and just left him alone, but it still didn't change the fact that she misses him a lot. And in order to distract herself, she would work hard in the student council, to the point where she barely even went out with her friends.

She continually stared at his empty seat, as though wishing he would suddenly be sitting there out of the blue. Finally, the bell rang and she quietly gathered her things and stood up to leave. "Erza?" A sweet voice asked. "Yes, Mira?" She asked.

"Would you like to go out with us?"

"Sorry, but there's still a lot to do for student council and I can't afford to keep putting them off any further." This was a lie, of course. There was no work to do, she had done everything a few days ago. She just wanted to be alone for a while.

"Okay," Mira said disappointedly and walked away with Cana.

Erza sighed tiredly and went out of the school. As she was walking, she saw a pink-haired girl sitting on a bench. She wasn't wearing the school uniform, so Erza immediately concluded that she wasn't a student of Fairy High. But she couldn't shake off the nagging feeling that she had seen the pink-haired girl before. She shrugged it off and continued walking.

"Would you be Erza Scarlet?" A voice asked. She turned around and saw the pink-haired girl looking at her. She gazed intently at the girl's face, and the pieces finally clicked in her mind. She remembered seeing the girl from one of Zane's photos in his house, though she never did know the pink-haired girl's name.

"Yes, that would be me. And I'm sorry if I might sound rude, but who are you?"

The girl chuckled. "You really are like what Zane told me about."

Erza looked at the girl questioningly.

"Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Sarah, Zane's best friend and also a member of the Lightnings."

"So, you're Sarah?"

"Yes. Have you heard of me?"

"Zane told me once about you. But he never did get into the details; he just said that you're his best friend."

"I see. He never really is one for the details. But, I'm not here to talk about my relationship with Zane."

The scarlet-haired president looked at the pinkette in confusion.

"I take it you haven't seen or heard from him for a month, correct?"

Erza nodded.

"The truth is, he rejoined our gang."

The president was shocked. "H-he rejoined the Lightnings? Why?"

Sarah looked at Erza seriously. "The reason is that he believes it's the only way to keep you safe. If he had contact with you, our enemies might find out he has another special person in his heart, and might let them go after you."

Erza felt even more shocked at this revelation. She stood frozen in place, not knowing what to say.

Sarah continued. "I don't know if I'm in the place to say this, Erza. But, I know he loves you. Every time he talks about you, his eyes would brighten. He misses you, Erza. You have no idea how hard it is for him to restrain himself from calling you. He never once forgot about you this past month."

The redhead felt her knees go weak. For all this time, Zane never stopped thinking about her, the way she never stopped thinking about him. "Why are you telling me all this?" She whispered.

Sarah smiled sadly. "I love Zane, too. But I knew that he could never return my feelings. And I'm sorry for what I'm about to say, but when he came back, I thought that I might finally have a chance with him. I know I sound selfish. But he never took on my advances. He always thought about you. And it's because I love him that I'm telling you all these now, Erza. I just want him to be happy, even though I know that it's not with me."

Erza couldn't believe the girl's selflessness. She was willing to talk to Erza about Zane, even though she loved him, too. "I'm so, so, sorry, Sarah," Erza whispered sadly and sincerely. Sarah smiled and put a hand on the redhead's shoulder. "It's okay, Erza. I knew from the start that he could never love me back, anyway. And…I'm happy he found someone who truly cares about him. Thank you for bringing him back to the way he used to be."

The beautiful redhead smiled and nodded. "Tell Zane to take care and that I trust him. Tell him that I love him, too, even after all this time." The pinkette smiled. "Will do." Then, she left.

Erza continued walking with a sad smile on her face. She was happy to know that Zane wasdoing finet, but she also felt sad that she still couldn't talk to him. Still, it was good enough after not hearing from him in a month. Distracted in her thoughts, she didn't notice that a man was following her.

Suddenly, the man sneaked behind her and clamped his hand over her mouth. "Mmff! Mmmf!" Erza struggled to get the words out of her mouth. "Shush, little lady. I'm just doing what Jellal Fernandes asked me to do," the man said creepily.

Her eyes widened in shock. What the hell could her ex want from her after all this time? And why now? She began struggling more, and elbowed the man's gut. "Ow!" The man complained, but still did not release his hold. She tried elbowing the man again, but he had expected this and stopped the attack.

"Quit it!" He said in annoyance, and hit the back of her neck. She felt her consciousness slowly fade as she gripped the necklace he gave her. _Zane, help me. _She thought before she fell unconscious.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Here's Chapter 11! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and please feel free to leave a review! Thanks! :D**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does.**

* * *

Zane was sitting around lazily as he drank his juice in their hideout. His hair had grown longer in the past month, but he still kept it spiky and didn't bother getting a haircut. He still thought about Erza until now. Suddenly, the doors burst open and he could see Sarah panting and panicking

"ZANE! IT'S ERZA!" Sarah shouted.

Zane's eyes' widened in shock and he subconsciously shattered the glass he was holding using his bare hands. "What! What happened to Erza?!" He shouted, now panicking himself. He didn't care about the wounds on his hand; he couldn't feel the pain at all in his panic.

"A-a man abducted her! He said that it was something someone named Jellal Fernandes asked him to do!"

"Dammit, it's that jerk who broke her heart! What the hell does he want with her?!"

"I don't know! And Zane, your hand!"

"This doesn't matter right now! Where did you last see her?!"

"She was abducted by the school gate! They headed east after that!"

"I'm leaving! And nobody try to stop me!" Zane yelled as he ran outside.

_Oh crap, Erza! Please be safe! I can't lose you, too! _He thought in panic as he ran.

He arrived at the school gates and began running east. He was slowly beginning to feel the pain in his hand, but he ignored it. He saw a warehouse and moved stealthily. He peeked through a window and saw about ten men inside. He scanned further to the right and saw Erza tied up with a blue-haired man who was smirking coldly at her. _Jellal Fernandes. _He thought as he grit his teeth angrily. "I won't allow you to hurt her any further," he growled angrily.

He watched Jellal, and saw him wave his hand. At this, the guards took their leave. "It's now or never. Don't worry, Erza. I'll get you out of there. I promise," Zane said as he pounded his chest. He burst through the door and yelled, "JELLAL!" The blue-haired man smirked at Zane; not even feeling shocked at his sudden outburst.

Erza raised her head and looked at Zane. "Zane…? Is that…you?" She said weakly. "Yeah, it's me. Don't worry, Erza. I'll get you out of here. Count on it!" He said with conviction. Then, Jellal laughed coldly. "So, you're the Zane Arazaki I've been hearing about, huh? This is a trap set up for you, and you fell for it. I'll kill you…after I kill Erza first, of course."

"Dammit! What the hell do you want with her, you bastard?!"

"Oh, nothing. Maybe it's because I don't like the idea of my woman being with other men."

"You're sick! Why the hell would she want to be with you after all the crap you put her through?!"

"As if you didn't leave her. You didn't even contact her for a whole month."

Zane felt all the guilt crashing in again. "Zane… don't listen to him…" Erza whispered. "I trust you, Zane… And you came for me."

"You're right, Erza. I won't leave you again after this. To hell with the others!" Zane roared in rage.

Then he ran towards Zane and raised a fist. "Tut, tut, tut. I wouldn't do that if you don't want her to be hurt," Jellal said coldly as he brandished a knife and pointed it to her neck. "Damn you!" Zane stopped. The blue-haired man laughed coldly. "Now, do as I say if you don't want to see her suffer."

Zane didn't know what to do. If he didn't do as he says, Erza would suffer. If he did, he would be the one to suffer. He made up his mind. "Fine. Just…just please don't hurt her," he begged. "No, Zane… Don't… He'll just trick you…" Erza murmured.

"I don't care, Erza. I'm prepared to lay my life on the line if it means saving you," Zane said.

"That's a good boy. Imagine, the Zane Arazaki groveling before me!" Jellal laughed evilly. "Now, bow down before me." Zane did as he said and bowed down. "No, Zane…" Erza said painfully. "Shush, Erza. It'll be over soon, I promise," Zane whispered.

Jellal delivered a heavy kick to Zane's gut. "AGH!" Zane shouted. "That's good. Don't fight back if you really care about her," Jellal whispered menacingly into his ear. "Zane! No! Fight back! I don't care what happens to me, just fight back!" Erza yelled. Zane didn't heed her words and hung his head.

"Men! Take care of him!" Jellal commanded the guards that left. "I'll just sit back and watch you scream in agony, Zane." Jellal laughed evilly.

The ten men came and started beating Zane up. He tried to endure every hit, and let no sound come out. "That's no fun if you don't start screaming, Zane," Jellal said disapprovingly. "Go hit him with chairs!" Jellal barked. One guard nodded and grabbed a chair. "Zane! NO! PLEASE!" Erza screamed, trying to break free from the ropes that bound her.

"There's no use in trying to break free, Erza. Just sit back and enjoy the man you love suffer before your very eyes," the bluenette smirked coldly. "WHAT THE DAMN HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU, JELLAL?! WHY DO YOU ENJOY SEEING PEOPLE IN PAIN SO MUCH!" Erza screamed her lungs out. "Maybe if you hadn't left me, this wouldn't be happening to Zane right now," he said coldly.

"DAMN YOU! GO TO HELL, JELLAL!" Erza continued screaming. The bluenette ignored her and turned his eyes back to the black-haired boy. "Hit him with the chair!" Jellal shouted.

The guard obliged and brought down the chair on Zane. "AAAGGH!" He screamed in agony as the chair hit him. "GOOD! SCREAM!" Jellal laughed like a maniac as the guard continued hitting him. "GGHAGH! AGGH! AAAAAHHHH!" Zane's screams pierced the air and Erza began sobbing. "Please, stop this! I can't take it!" She screamed and sobbed harder.

Zane could hear her screams. He felt the blood running through his body. He was feeling quite weak, unable to move. He coughed a lot of blood and whispered, "Erza…" Her eyes widened in fear at the sight in front of her. He was covered in deep wounds and bruises. Blood was already flowing from his head. "No. No, Zane! Hang on!" She screamed.

"Che, this is getting boring," Jellal remarked as he stood up. He walked towards Zane and pulled out a gun. "NO! NO, JELLAL! DON'T! DON'T SHOOT HIM! I'M BEGGING YOU! PLEASE!" Erza screamed her pleads. Jellal didn't heed her words and cocked the pistol. He aimed at Zane's left shoulder, and pulled the trigger.

BANG! The bullet hit his shoulder, and he a searing pain went through him. "AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Zane screamed, the agony coursing through him. "ZANE! NO!" Erza screamed.

This time, Jellal aimed at his right leg and shot again. BANG! "GHHHHAAAAAAHHH!" Zane continued screaming. Then, Jellal aimed at his stomach and gave the final shot. BANG! "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHH!" Zane screamed bloodcurlingly.

"You're lucky I decided not to shoot your heart. I'll enjoy you suffering for a while," Jellal said coldly. He turned to one guard and barked, "Release her! I'm done now!" The guard obliged and released Erza from the restraints. "Heh, he's considered lucky if he makes it out of this alive. Goodbye, Erza," Jellal laughed evilly as he walked away.

* * *

Once she was freed from the restraints, she ran towards Zane. He was bleeding all over, and she held his face gingerly so that he was facing her. His eyes were slowly losing its sparkle. She sobbed harder at the sight. "Er…za…" He whispered slowly and painfully. "Zane… Stay with me, please!" She said in between sobs. She felt his warm hands hold her face. "I…love you… Er…za…" He said and gasped.

"No, Zane! Don't say a word! Get your rest!"

"I'm… sorry. For… leaving you back then. I was… so stupid. I… shouldn't have done that."

"No, no, Zane! It's fine! Just save your strength!"

Then she felt his hand grip her necklace.

"So…you've been wearing this all this time…huh? I'm…glad to know that…"

Her hands were shaking against his face.

"I love you, Zane… Please, don't do this to me!"

"When I bought that, all I thought was that it would suit you. I never thought about why I chose a star. But now…I know why."

"Zane, please, stop!"

"It's because you're the star that shone down on my darkest nights, Erza Scarlet. I was a fallen star, unlit and dark. All alone. But you came into my life, and you're the star that gave me back my light. I'm really happy I got to know you and to feel your love."

"Zane… Don't speak like that! You're going to live, okay?!"

"I love you so much… Erza Scarlet. Thank you…for being the brightest star in my darkest times…"

She felt his lips press gently against hers, and he fell limp in her arms, bloodied and wounded all over.

"ZAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEEE!" She screamed, her sobs getting heavier and louder. She choked in her own tears. "No, no! Zane! Zane! ZANE!" She continued screaming. "ZANE! I LOVE YOU! WAKE UP, DAMMIT!"

She continued sobbing as she gripped him tightly in her arms.

"ZANE!" She heard a voice scream behind her. She didn't want to turn around to see who it was. She just held him tightly in her arms, whispering his name over and over again.

"SOMEBODY CALL AN AMBULANCE! ZANE'S BADLY HURT!"

She could hear the panicked screams all around her. She felt as though her chest would explode from the pain she was feeling right now. It's all her fault that Zane got like this. If she hadn't let her guard down, hadn't let herself get caught, Zane would not be in this state.

After what seemed to be an eternity, the ambulance came. She kissed his forehead and weakly let him go as the men put him in a stretcher. "Erza…" A weak voice said. She didn't respond, still in a daze. "It's me, Sarah…"

"I'm sorry, Sarah… I'm so, so, sorry… It's all my fault. If not for me, Zane wouldn't be like this!" Erza yelled as she clutched the necklace.

"No one blames you, Erza. If it's anyone's fault, it's that bastard, Jellal. Zane just wanted to save you…"

"I still blame myself! I can't…I don't know what I'd do if…" She choked and sobbed harder.

"Go with him on the ambulance, Erza. Only one person is allowed, and you should be the one to go."

"I can't… Not after what happened."

"Just go, Erza!"

Finally, she obliged and stood up shakily. She weakly made her way to the ambulance and sat beside Zane's body. He lay still, his breathing labored. She held his hand and put it to her face. "Please live, Zane… I love you…" She whispered painfully and kissed his hand. There was no response and she cried again.

* * *

They arrived at the hospital and Erza stayed by Zane as they rushed towards the emergency room. The nurse stopped her when they arrived. She didn't argue with the nurse, she was already too weak. She sat down weakly on a chair and hugged herself. Her hands and clothes were stained with his blood and she felt herself shaking.

She was alone; and she preferred it that way. She wanted to wallow in her own guilt. She sobbed into her hands as she waited for news of Zane's state. After what seemed like forever while she drowned in her guilt, the doors opened. She stood up immediately and saw the doctor walk towards her. He had a grim look on his face. _No, please. Zane! _She thought painfully.

"Would you be Zane's companion?" The doctor asked grimly. She nodded slowly, unable to speak. The doctor sighed. "I won't beat around the bush. His wounds are deep and severe, and he's lost a lot of blood. Plus, those gunshots…" He shook his head. "A moment too late, and he would be gone by now."

Erza felt her chest sear in pain. "He's in a fifty-fifty state. He's in a comatose right now. It might take him weeks, months, maybe even years to wake up. I'm sorry. We've done the best we can," he said sadly.

"Can I see him?" She whispered painfully. The doctor nodded and she walked weakly to the emergency room. There were tubes connected to his body, and he was covered in bandages. He looked extremely pale, and his face looked peaceful. _Too peaceful. _She felt the tears roll down her face again as she stared at his unconscious state. She made her way to the hospital bed and sat down on a chair. "Oh, Zane… What have I done?" She said guiltily.

She gently stroked his hair and kissed his forehead. "It's all my fault, Zane… I'm sorry…" Then she chuckled painfully. "If you're awake right now, I'm sure you'd tell me it isn't my fault. I'll wait for you to wake up, Zane…" She whispered and kissed his cold lips.

Then, she heard someone open the door. She didn't bother to look up; she simply stared at the man she loves. "Erza…how is Zane?" Erza finally looked up and saw Sarah. She shook her head, the pain reflected in her eyes. "He's in a comatose…" She said in a voice barely above a whisper.

Sarah grabbed a chair and sat beside the redhead. "It's not your fault, Erza. You never could have known that Jellal was going to come after you. And as for Zane…I'm absolutely sure he'd tell you that it isn't your fault. He loves you more than you'll ever know, Erza. And that's why he even restrained himself from getting closer to you, knowing you'll get hurt. He just wants you to be safe, even at the cost of his own life."

Erza flinched at the pinkette's words. "I don't want him to die, Sarah. Even if he did save me, and he dies, I could never bear to live with that pain. Knowing that he died because of me, how can I live with that? I love him, Sarah. And I can't bear seeing him this way… I don't even know how I'm still sane right now!" She nearly yelled the last part. It was true though, she didn't know how she's still sane after seeing all the agony Zane went through because of her. "It drove me crazy, seeing him tortured like that. He didn't raise a fist; he didn't attempt to fight back. He got his pride trampled on, all because of me!" Erza exclaimed painfully as she jabbed herself in the chest.

Sarah slapped the student council president. Shocked and at a loss for words, Erza held her reddening face. The pinkette argued, "Now, you listen to me, Erza! Why do you think Zane did that? Why do you think he let go of his pride and went through all that pain? It's because he loves YOU. He loves you so much that he would die for you! But he's not dead, and you're talking like he already is!"

Erza hung her head in shame. "You're right, Sarah. I didn't know what I was saying… Seeing him like that…it made me snap. I'm sorry…" She mumbled tiredly. Sarah sighed. "I know how you feel, Erza… Zane was also the same way when he lost Clair. But, he's still alive, Erza. You should believe as much as I do that he'll wake up." Erza nodded sullenly. "Thank you, Sarah…"

The pinkette smiled. "You should go back to your house and rest, Erza…" The president shook her head. "I'll stay here with him…" Then, Sarah put a hand over Erza's shoulder. "At least get a change of clothes. I'll be here, and you can come back." The redhead nodded. "I'll be back right away," she said weakly and kissed Zane's forehead again before leaving.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Here's Chapter 12! Sorry it took longer than usual, since I've been busy with school. Thanks for all the reviews, follows, and favorites so far! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and please feel free to leave a review!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does.**

* * *

Erza arrived at her house and took a quick shower and got a change of clothes. She began shaking again in fear as she saw her bloodstained clothes. She felt cold inside, and hugged herself to keep from falling apart. _Erza… _She snapped her head and looked around. She thought she heard Zane's voice for a moment. _No, no. He's in the hospital. _She thought to herself over and over again.

She couldn't break down now; she would not let herself go crazy. She shook her head furiously. _No, I will not break down. I have to be strong, like I always am, for him. _She thought with determination and went back to the hospital.

She opened the door, and saw Sarah holding Zane's hand and gently stroking his hair. The pinkette had apparently noticed the door open, and let go of Zane's hand.

"Oh, Erza. You're already here. I'll be leaving now. Take care of Zane for us, okay?" Sarah smiled softly.

"Ah, yes. Thank you, Sarah," Erza said distantly.

The pinkette stood up and placed a hand on Erza's shoulder. "Be strong. All of us have to, for his sake. And you have friends, right? I know they won't make you feel alone," Sarah smiled reassuringly.

Erza smiled, and the pinkette left. She sat down beside Zane's bed and took his hand.

"Wake up soon, okay?" She whispered into his ear as she stroked his hand.

Then, she felt her phone buzz in her pocket. She unlocked it and saw a text from Mira.

_Erza, are you okay? We heard about Zane, and we're on our way to the hospital._

Erza smiled at her friends' concern, and began typing a message.

_I'm not hurt, thank you for worrying._

She hit send, and stroked Zane's hair as she waited for her friends to arrive. After fifteen minutes, she heard the door open, and saw her friends with worried looks on their faces.

"Zane's in a comatose?" Mira asked worriedly.

"Yes… he acquired too many deep wounds, and he was..." Erza trailed off, inhaling sharply. "He was shot by Jellal three times." She finished in a barely audible voice.

"That Jellal is a big asshole," Natsu growled.

"Why can't he just leave Erza alone?" Lucy said angrily.

"That bastard just wants to make everyone's lives a living hell," Cana said in disgust.

"Poor Zane… he had to suffer all this," Wendy stated sadly.

"Tch, that Jellal just doesn't know when to quit, does he? He's making Erza live through hell again," Gray spat.

"And he very nearly killed Zane. That devil doesn't deserve to be forgiven," Mira added angrily.

"Speaking of which, what happened to Jellal afterwards?" Cana asked.

"He got away," Erza said in frustration.

"That's bad. What if he decides to strike again? With Zane in a comatose, he might target Erza again." Gray said worriedly.

"That will be no problem," a deep voice said behind them.

They sharply turned around and saw a man with slicked brown hair, standing by the door.

"Who are you?" Natsu growled, and protectively blocked Erza and Zane from view. The others took the same stance and stared the man down.

"Please, do not worry. I am Azrael, the leader of the Lightnings, a gang which Zane is a part of." The man said.

"Wait… Zane is part of a gang?" Mira asked in shock.

"Yes, he is. But we are not your typical gang that does evil deeds. Instead, we are the ones who see to it that the gangs who hurt other people are taken care of," the man explained.

The students relaxed, but still did not put down their guard, just in case the man was lying.

"Like I said, there is no need to worry. Should this man you call Jellal decide to strike once again, we will make sure to protect Erza and Zane."

"How can you say that?" Gray asked warily.

Azrael turned to Erza, and she looked at him.

"When Zane rejoined the Lightnings, I asked him if he would protect you should any harm befall you. He answered that he would, without any hesitation. And he did protect you, didn't he? He truly cares about you, Erza, and it is also our duty to make sure that we protect you in his stead," Azrael said seriously.

"Thank you for your generous offer, but I would not want to be of any burden," Erza stated with conviction.

Azrael nodded firmly and said, "Alright. But if anything happens, don't hesitate to ask us for help. I'm sure Zane would not be pleased if anything bad happens to all of you, especially you, Erza."

Erza nodded, and the group of friends thanked Azrael for his offer.

"Well, I'll be leaving now. Take care," Azrael waved and left.

"Erza… did you know about Zane being in a gang?" Lucy asked.

Erza nodded slowly and said, "Yes… I'm sorry for keeping this from all of you…"

"It's okay, Erza. I'm sure you and Zane have your reasons for keeping this from all of us," Mira smiled reassuringly.

"Thank you for understanding, Mira," Erza smiled slightly, and turned her attention back to Zane. She sighed tiredly as she looked at him.

"I hope that Zane will be okay…" Wendy stated worriedly.

"He will… we just need to believe in him," Erza whispered.

The others nodded and silently stared at the unconscious Zane. They hoped that he would already be awake before Jellal decides to do something to hurt Erza again.

* * *

Everyday after school for the next six months, Erza would go directly to the hospital to visit Zane. Sometimes, her friends would go with her, but if they felt that she needed to be alone, they would allow her to go alone to the hospital. Needless to say, everyone was worried about Zane and Erza.

Erza sighed as she sat on the chair beside Zane. His eyes were still shut tight, and she watched the unsteady rise and fall of his chest. His breathing was still slightly ragged, and Erza looked worriedly at him. She absentmindedly ran her hands through his hair, and caressed his face. There was no reaction. She heaved a sigh, and kissed his forehead. It was cold; his entire body was cold. Only a slight amount of warmth could be felt, proving that he was still alive, somehow.

Zane's hair had grown even longer, and covered most of his face. Erza brushed aside his hair to get a good look at his face, and gently stroked his cheek.

"It's already been six months, and you're still here, unmoving… But I know that you're alive, fighting. I'll wait until you finally wake up, Zane…" Erza whispered, and pressed her lips against his cold ones. "I love you…"

* * *

_I love you… _Zane heard Erza's voice in his sleep. He slowly opened his eyes, and saw her, looking at him with pained and tired eyes.

"Er…za," he mumbled, wanting to feel her lips against his again.

"Zane, thank goodness you're finally awake!" Erza exclaimed, relief in her voice.

"I'm sorry for making you worry so much, Erza…"

"It's okay, Zane."

"How long…?" Zane asked, wondering how long he had been 'asleep'.

"Six months…"

"Holy crap…"

"I'm just glad to see you awake, Zane. I never stopped believing that you would."

Zane nodded, sat up, and held Erza in his arms.

"I love you, Erza…" He mumbled for the first time in six months.

"I love you, too, Zane…" She answered softly.

He held her tighter, as though afraid that what was happening was just a dream.

"We should tell the doctors you're awake," Erza mumbled, and Zane reluctantly let her go.

"Yeah…" He answered.

Erza pushed the button, and a few moments later, a nurse came rushing in.

"Did anything-" The nurse started, but looked on in shock when she saw Zane sitting up. "Oh, goodness! This is a miracle! Wait for a moment, and I'll call his doctor!"

The nurse rushed out, and Zane sat in silence.

"I'll go tell the rest you're awake," Erza said and pulled out her phone. Zane nodded, and ruffled his hair.

"They said they'll be here in a few minutes, and that they're glad to hear you're awake," she smiled.

Zane nodded, and kissed her hair. At that moment, a doctor rushed in.

"Oh, this is a miracle indeed! Can I examine him?" The doctor asked Erza. She nodded and moved aside. The doctor examined Zane thoroughly, and he smiled in satisfaction afterwards.

"He's okay, but I recommend that he stays one more day here, so that we can monitor his condition," the doctor announced with a smile.

"Thanks, doc," Zane smiled weakly.

The doctor nodded. "If anything comes up, just push the button."

Zane thanked the doctor again, and the doctor left. A few moments later, their friends came rushing in. They all had relieved looks on their faces when they saw Zane conscious. They all greeted him happily, and Zane thanked them for coming.

"How're you feeling?" Natsu asked.

"I'm fine," Zane answered.

"Glad to have you back, man," Gray said and bumped fists with Zane.

"I'm glad to see you awake, Zane," Wendy smiled cheerfully.

"Hello, Zane!" Mira greeted with a huge smile.

"Yo!" Cana grinned.

They chatted away until late afternoon, and they left one by one, saying that they were looking forward to seeing Zane at school again. Erza remained, saying that she'll stay with him, seeing that it was Saturday the next day.

"I'll stay with you," Erza said.

"Thanks…" Zane smiled and kissed her forehead, then held her in his arms. He decided to ask her one question that had been bothering him.

"What happened to Jellal?" Zeke asked.

Erza froze and whispered, "He got away."

He held her tighter and said, "I'll get back at him. There's no way in hell I'll let him get away after doing that to you," he said as a growl escaped his throat.

"No, Zane! I nearly lost you back then! What the hell makes you think I'll allow you to go after him?!" Erza yelled. "He's violent and dangerous! He didn't even hesitate to pull the trigger!"

"But he's your darkness, isn't he? I'll seal away your darkness, like you did with mine."

"Zane…"

"Erza, please. I won't forgive myself unless you allow me to go after him."

"Fine. Just…just make sure you heal up completely, okay?"

He smiled. "I promise." Then he kissed her deeply.

Erza smiled and stroked his cheeks. "Why don't you rest?"

Zane nodded and lied back down. Erza then lay her head against Zane's chest, and closed her eyes.

Another thing struck Zeke as odd. Just how did Jellal know that he left Erza for a whole month? The only people who could have known that fact were Erza's friends and his fellow gang members. Zane could only think of one thing – and it was that somebody must have leaked information to Jellal. He eliminated the possibility of Erza's friends doing it; they cared too much for the beautiful president that they even helped her be with him again.

The only remaining possibility: someone from his gang. He didn't want to believe it at first, but then again, even in a gang filled with good guys, there could still be a rotten egg inside. And Zane would do everything to find out who this bastard was, and get back at both the bastard and Jellal.

* * *

"Jellal… I heard that Zane is already awake," a man with long, blue hair stated worriedly.

"Tsk, that guy is more stubborn than I thought. I should just have finished him off back then," Jellal clucked his tongue angrily.

"What are you going to do now?"

"I'll let him and Erza have their happy ending… for now. But the next time we meet, I will kill him in front of Erza's very eyes," Jellal laughed evilly, "will you still join me, my brother?"

"Of course, Jellal."

"Good, good!"

"What are your plans?"

"I will seek the help from the Blood Seekers, seeing as they haven't been defeated by the Lightnings. I will make sure that the Lightnings, most especially Zane, die," Jellal said with an evil grin.

"When will you set your plans in motion?"

"…In two weeks. I think that's enough time, since we've been waiting for three whole months. I will make sure that Erza breaks down completely when she sees Zane _die._"

The other blue-haired man shivered; just what had he gotten himself into? And he should be careful not to let the whole world know that he was working with his brother. Especially not Zane, because if he knew… Well, these two blue-haired men would be as good as dead. He just had to be extra careful.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Here's Chapter 13, and, uh... Never mind. Haha. Please do read the Author's Note at the end of this chapter. Well, on to the chapter!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does.**

* * *

The next day, Zane woke up, and saw Erza's head lying against his chest with her eyes closed and her lips parted slightly. He smiled and softly stroked her beautiful scarlet hair. She stirred at his touch, and slowly opened her eyes, showing her lovely brown eyes.

"Good morning, Erza," he smiled and kissed her forehead.

She smiled softly and said, "Good morning, Zane."

Suddenly, someone came bursting in through the door to Zane's hospital room. Zane and Erza looked up to see whom it was, and saw Sarah. The pinkette was panting, and her eyes were wide from fear, panic, or both.

"Zane… something urgent has come up!" The pinkette said hurriedly, the urgency obvious in her voice.

"Why? What happened?" Zane asked, and sat bolt upright.

"It's… it's Kevin! He's been gone for a few days now, and no one could reach him! And…" Sarah hesitated, while Zane waited patiently for her to continue.

Sarah took a deep breath and pulled out a blood-red envelope, which was already unsealed, to Zane.

"…this came in just this morning. It's from Jellal," Sarah finished, and Zane's eyes widened in shock.

He hurriedly pulled out a folded paper from inside the envelope, and quickly unfolded it. Erza peered over Zane's shoulder, curious as to what the letter might say.

_Dear Lightnings,_

_ So, I have heard that Zane is already awake. But, you really shouldn't be celebrating so soon. I'm not going to beat around the bush, and get straight to the point. I declare a gang war, and you will be fighting against the Blood Seekers. I have already asked them, and they have agreed to this. Why them? Well, your gang had never been able to eliminate them, am I right? How did I know all these information? Let's just say I have my sources… But I won't tell you who has been supplying me with these information, of course. It would ruin all the fun. _

_ As to when the gang war is, it will commence in two weeks. I hope that you make this fun for me, and the Blood Seekers. I also hope that Zane would be able to make it. _

_~Jellal Fernandes_

As soon as Zane finished the letter, he crumpled it and began shaking. He gritted his teeth, and closed his eyes. Erza felt worried, and squeezed Zane's arm. This appeared to have calmed him down, as he stopped shaking.

"What are you going to do, Zane?" Erza asked.

"I'm going to join the fight. I'll get rid of Jellal and the Blood Seekers, once and for all," Zane stated with conviction.

"I… I understand. But please, be careful," Erza said worriedly.

"Yeah… thanks, Erza," Zane smiled weakly and kissed her forehead.

"Erza, be careful, okay? Call Zane if anything comes up," Sarah said.

"Yes. Thank you, Sarah," Erza smiled.

Zane stood up and gave Erza a longing kiss.

"I trust you to come back safe, Zane. I'll see you after all this is over?"

"Yeah. I'll see you in two weeks."

Erza nodded, and Zane walked away with Sarah.

"Are you sure about this, Zane?" Sarah asked worriedly.

"I'm sure. I'll have to make the most of the two weeks by training hard. I'm not going to allow the Blood Seekers or Jellal take away someone that I love again," Zane stated confidently.

"I see. But do you have any idea on how Jellal got all those information?"

"I don't know if you'd like my theory, but I think someone from the gang is working as a spy for Jellal."

"I knew you'd say that. All of us actually thought the same thing; otherwise, how else would Jellal know? But is there anyone you could think of that would do this?"

Zane paused and began thinking. Kevin had been gone for days, and no one had been able to reach him. Also, like Jellal, he had blue hair. If someone had been unable to reach him, and he hadn't gone to the hideout in days, he must have been hiding something. But what?

_Could it be? Is Kevin the spy? And that blue hair… could he be related to Jellal?_ Zane thought, and shook his head. _The possibility of that can't be eliminated._

"Sarah… I think it's Kevin." Zane stated, and suck in a deep breath.

"What makes you think that?" Sarah asked, no apprehensiveness or shock in her voice. Zane thought that she might have also come to this conclusion.

"You said that he's been gone for days, and that no one has been unable to reach him. Also, he hasn't been going to the hideout, right? So I think that he must be hiding something. Plus… that blue hair…" Zane trailed off thoughtfully.

"You think that he's related to Jellal," Sarah finished the black-haired boy's sentence.

Zane nodded and said, "You've also thought this through, haven't you?"

"Yeah. It's not surprising, because some gangs have been destroyed due to rotten eggs. Even we aren't an exception to that," Sarah said seriously.

"You're right. But still, if Kevin really is the culprit, I wonder why he'd do this…" Zane wondered out loud.

"We'll just have to ask him," Sarah said simply.

"Yeah."

* * *

For the last two weeks, Zane trained hard. He wouldn't allow the Blood Seekers to take away what he loved the most again, and he would certainly not allow Jellal to hurt Erza again.

Zane was standing with his fellow gang members in an abandoned warehouse, where the gang war was to commence.

"Zane… you ready?" Sarah asked.

Zane nodded, "Yeah."

At that moment, the doors burst open, and things immediately became chaotic. Gunshots rang, and the sound of slamming fists could be heard throughout the warehouse. Three men lunged at Zane, but he dodged them easily, and punched their heads, rendering them unconscious.

"Zane!" A voice shouted. He turned around and saw Kevin rushing towards him. He reacted smoothly, and blocked a punch delivered by the blue-haired man.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Kevin?" Zane hissed and punched Kevin's gut.

"So, you've figured it out, eh?" Kevin smirked and kicked Zane, but the latter grabbed his foot and elbowed his stomach.

"Khh," Kevin spit out blood.

"You bastard! It's because of you that Jellal got a hold of Erza again," Zane spat and kicked Kevin's face.

Kevin clutched his face as blood began streaming from his nose.

"Heh. Maybe if you'd done a better job of protecting her, she wouldn't have been caught," Kevin said mockingly, and kicked Zane's stomach.

"Let's cut the chatter and get on with it. I'm not going to forgive you for helping Jellal," Zane snarled and landed a punch on the right side of Kevin's face.

Kevin reeled from the attack, but quickly recovered his composure. He threw a punch at Zane, to which the latter dodged effectively. Zane grabbed Kevin's wrist and twisted it.

"AGH!" Kevin screamed from the pain, and Zane threw him over his shoulder.

"I'd thought you'd be more of a challenge than this, Kevin," Zane said coldly and kicked Kevin in the ribs. A cracking sound was heard, and Kevin screamed in agony.

Kevin tried to get up, but the pain of his broken ribs stopped him from making any movements.

"Go ahead, kill me. That's what you want to do for my betrayal, right?" Kevin snorted.

Zane planted his foot on Kevin's chest and applied pressure.

"No, I'm not going to sink to that level, Kevin. Just what is your relation to Jellal?" Zane asked icily.

"Why, haven't you figured that out yet? We're brothers. And that's why I helped him," Kevin stated with an evil grin.

"You're a damn bastard," Zane snarled and stomped Kevin's chest, making the latter cough out more blood. "Now, where is Jellal?"

"Don't be so impatient, he's coming in a few moments," Kevin smirked.

Zane gave Kevin one last kick before helping his fellow gang members. The last time they had a war with the Blood Seekers, they were unprepared because of a surprise attack planned by their enemies. Because of that, Clair had died. But right now, Zane was prepared. He would make sure Jellal landed in jail and suffer for the hell he put Erza through.

Zane effectively dodged his enemies' attacks, and rendered most of them unconscious.

"What a good show, Zane," a voice laughed evilly.

Zane looked forward, and saw Jellal smirking.

"Jellal," Zane growled, and tensed up.

"Everyone, take it outside. This stage is to be mine and Zane's," Jellal commanded.

"What the hell makes you think we'd just follow you!?" A tall man with messy green hair shouted, which Zane recognized as his fellow gang member.

"Do it. I want to take care of Jellal on my own," Zane stated, his anger seething.

"Be careful, Zane," Sarah said worriedly.

"Don't worry about me. I'll handle this," Zane said lowly.

Everyone went outside, leaving Zane, Jellal, and an immobilized Kevin inside the warehouse.

"Kevin, you're too weak," Jellal said icily.

Kevin didn't answer, apparently unable to speak because of the agony he felt.

"I'll take care of you later," Jellal sighed impatiently.

"We'll see if you'll still be able to take care of him after this," Zane stated flatly.

"Hmph, bring it on," Jellal snorted, and Zane went into fighting stance.

Zane waited for Jellal to make the first move, because he knew that the one who made the first move was always at a disadvantage. He didn't have to wait long, as he saw Jellal run towards him with a raised fist.

Zane evaded to the left, but was caught off guard as Jellal landed a kick on his right side.

"Heh, did you actually think I don't know a thing about fighting? Well, I've been training too since I heard that you're awake," Jellal smirked and punched the right side of Zane's face, hard.

"Ugh," Zane muttered, and blindly tried to land a kick on Jellal's leg. Jellal smirked, and dodged, then forcefully kicked Zane's stomach, making him reel and stagger.

Zane closed his eyes, and decided to use his senses to read through Jellal's attacks. He heard a swift sound of air to his left, and he used his hand to block the attack.

"H-how?!" Jellal whispered in shock. Zane smirked and gave a strong uppercut to the blue-haired man.

"What's wrong? Didn't your _brother _tell you this?" Zane said mockingly.

"Kevin!" Jellal roared in rage, and Kevin chuckled weakly.

"Sorry, bro. Truth be told, I never wanted to help you in the first place. So, I never told you everything I knew about Zane," Kevin said smirkingly.

"W-what?" Zane whispered. He, too, felt shocked.

"Hey, Zane. Beat up this bastard, will ya? I only helped him, because he threatened to hurt Sarah if I didn't comply with his wishes. I'm really sorry you nearly died and how Erza got hurt because of me…"

Zane nodded slowly. He knew how Kevin felt for Sarah, but Kevin also knew that it was Zane that Sarah loved.

"I'm sorry, Kevin…"

"It's all cool. I at least wanted to make it up to you by not telling Jellal about your fighting abilities."

"Got it. Thanks, Kevin."

"DAMN YOU, KEVIN!" Jellal screeched and began rushing towards his brother, but was promptly stopped by Zane.

"Oh, no, you don't. He may have betrayed our gang, but he still has his pride. I'm not going to let you hurt anyone any longer, Jellal," Zane said icily and kneed Jellal's stomach fiercely.

Jellal staggered and clutched his stomach. "Screw you," he said angrily and tried landing another kick to Zane's stomach, but missed.

"When you're in a fight, you should be careful to never let your emotions get the best of you. Otherwise, it would spell either your defeat, or your death – if not somebody else's. That's a lesson I learned the hard way when I lost Clair. And I'm not about to let the same mistake happen again."

"Cocky… bastard," Jellal said weakly, and Zane roughly kicked the former in the chest.

Jellal staggered, and fell to the ground. Zane pulled him up by the collar and punched his face hard. Then, Zane delivered another uppercut, and sent kick after kick to Jellal's gut.

When Zane was already satisfied, he let Jellal go, but sent another rough kick onto Jellal's chest. Jellal coughed out lots of blood, and fell to the ground.

"Good night, Jellal," Zane stated coldly, and knocked the blue-haired man unconscious.

Zane groaned as he felt the bruised and wounds he got from the fight, and walked over to Kevin.

"Heh, I knew you could do it," Kevin chuckled weakly.

"Our fight earlier… you were purposely holding back, weren't you?" Zane asked seriously.

"Haha, yeah… But even if I didn't hold back, I knew you'd still win against me. Sorry I betrayed you guys…"

"Sorry would never be enough to make up for what you did, Kevin. You put Erza to harm, and nearly put the whole gang into it, as well. Like Jellal, you need to pay for your crimes."

"I know that… I sure as hell deserve to be punished, don't I?"

"You do."

Kevin chortled weakly, and Zane sighed tiredly.

"Zane!" A voice yelled, and Zane turned around to see Sarah and Azrael running towards them.

"Hey," Zane smiled as Sarah tackled him into an embrace.

"Crap, we were worried about you. We thought you might have let your emotions get the best of you again," Sarah stated worriedly.

"I'm not that weak anymore, Sarah. I couldn't let Jellal get away again…" Zane stated firmly.

"You're right. Sorry about that," Sarah said sheepishly.

"Anyhow, I'm glad to see that you're alright, Zane. I have also defeated the leader of the Blood Seekers, and the police are now on their way to arrest its members, along with Jellal Fernandes, and…" Azrael trailed off.

"…and me." Kevin finished the man's sentence.

Azrael nodded and looked pitifully at Kevin.

"I did not want to do this, Kevin… but you put Zane's loved one into harm, along with our gang. Justice has to be served," Azrael stated sadly.

"Yeah, I know. Since we work hand-in-hand with the police," Kevin said.

"I'm glad you understand." Azrael said seriously, and the sounds of sirens blared outside the warehouse.

"It looks like the police are here," Sarah commented.

"Sarah, before they take me away, can I tell you something?" Kevin asked.

"Sure…"

"Sarah… I love you. I know you love Zane, but… I still couldn't help but fall for you. I only supplied Jellal with the information he wanted, because he threatened to harm you if I didn't tell him what he wanted to know. I know you'll never forgive me, because Zane got hurt along the way. I just… I just wanted to tell you how I feel." Kevin said and sighed.

"I'll think about whether I want to forgive you or not. But for now… you need to face the consequences of your actions," Sarah said sadly.

"Yeah… see you around, Sarah."

Sarah nodded, and medics rushed into the scene. They carefully placed Kevin in a stretcher, and Zane watched on as he was brought away.

"Before he officially gets arrested, the police said that he should at least recover. He was still part of us, after all," Azrael stated.

"That's good enough. He still helped me out, in a way…" Zane said stoically.

"So, Zane… you're going back to Erza now, right?" Sarah asked.

"…yeah. I need to tell her that everything's finally over. That her nightmare, Jellal, is over."

Sarah smiled sadly, and Zane sighed.

"About your feelings, Sarah," he started, but was cut off by the pinkette.

"It's fine, Zane. Just as long as you're happy, I'm okay with it. And I wouldn't want to get in the way of you and Erza. She loves you, more than you could ever know," Sarah said softly.

"Thanks, Sarah…" Zane smiled; glad that he could finally clear things up with his best friend.

"You have to go, Zane. It would not be wise to make Erza worry any longer," Azrael said as he placed a hand on Zane's shoulder.

"Thanks, Azrael. About the gang…" Zane trailed off.

"From here on, I will be disbanding the Lightnings. I talked it out with the police, and they have agreed to my decision. Too many people have been hurt, and I think it's time we put an end to this," Azrael said with a smile.

Zane knew that Azrael was referring to Clair's death, and how it had also harmed Erza along the way. Zane nodded understandingly, and said, "Thank you for everything, Azrael. You took care of us like you were our own father, and I'm glad to have been part of the Lightnings."

Azrael laughed and answered, "That's what we are, after all: a family."

Zane smiled, and walked away.

* * *

Erza sat silently on the sofa in Lucy's living room. Tonight was the night of the Lightnings and the Blood Seekers' gang war. Sarah had requested Erza to stay with her friends, so that she wouldn't be alone in case something bad happened. She felt strangely calm, despite the fact that Zane could be facing danger any time now.

But she knew that Zane was strong. She trusted him to come back safe, and he had promised to do so. She would believe in his words.

"I hope Zane is alright," Mira stated worriedly.

"I'm sure he's fine. He's strong," Erza said with a confident smile.

The others relaxed and smiled as they waited in silence for Zane.

Moments later, Erza heard footsteps. She looked up, and saw Lucy's butler.

"Ah, Zane-san is here," the butler announced with a smile, and bowed. He stepped forward, revealing Zane, with bandages covering his wounds and bruises but otherwise looked fine.

Erza smiled, happy that the man she loved was fine. She sucked in a deep breath as Zane approached her, and scooted over, allowing him to sit beside her.

"We're glad to see you back, Zane," Natsu grinned toothily.

"Yeah, nice to see you looking okay," Gray added with his own grin.

"So, what happened?" Cana asked.

Erza listened intently as Zane explained everything that happened. From Kevin being Jellal's spy and brother, why he supplied Jellal with information, and his fight with the brothers. He also said that the Lightnings was now disbanded by Azrael, the reason being that people had died, and many were left hurting because of these deaths.

"So… what are you going to do now that the gang has been disbanded, Zane?" Wendy asked.

Zane smiled and said, "I'm going to go back to school, and… and be with Erza."

Erza smiled softly, and felt Zane lean in closer to her. She closed her eyes, and felt his lips brush softly against hers. She felt his lips brush against hers a few more times, until he finally settled in for a real kiss. The kiss was soft and gentle, and she felt him smile in between the kiss. She chuckled, and kissed him back.

"Let's leave these two lovebirds alone," Cana smirked teasingly, and left the living room. The others chuckled and followed suit, leaving the two alone.

"What happened to Jellal and Kevin?" Erza asked.

"They were arrested. It's over, Erza. Our nightmares are over," Zane whispered softly.

"Thank you, Zane," she smiled softly, and caressed his face.

Zane smiled, and Erza felt his forehead resting against hers.

"I love you, Erza Scarlet. I will never leave you again," he said softly.

"I love you, too, Zane Arisato. And I trust and believe in everything you say," she smiled.

Zane smiled, and pulled her in for another kiss. Erza threw her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. She knew that their love for each other was real; that his love for her was true. She knew that he would never break her heart the way Jellal did, and that he would always be by her side.

And they both knew that their worst nightmares were over as they held each other.

* * *

**A/N: So, yeah... This is the last chapter. *Sad face* Sorry if it seemed rushed, it's just that I was literally running out of ideas for this story, and I didn't want to drag it any further. I hope you guys understand. And, I'm really, really grateful to everyone who followed, favorited, and reviewed this story! It really makes me happy to know that you guys enjoyed this story. So, thank you! Thank you guys so much! And I hope you continue to look forward to more of my future stories, and continue to support me. Until the next story! :D**


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